The Wallace Foundation's Excellence Awards, announced last week, were given "in recognition of [recipients'] commitment to community and audience building activities." The BSO and Boston Lyric were among seven Boston arts organizations given the grants; the others were the Museum of Fine Arts (which also receives a $1.1 million challenge grant), From the Top, the Huntington Theater, the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. With its award, the BSO will enhance and expand Internet-based marketing and education — including the orchestra's Online Conservatory — and online distribution of recorded music.

Boston Lyric Opera will receive $500,000 over five years to expand family programming to attract new adult audiences as well as younger operagoers.

The Wallace Foundation is an independent, New York-based national foundation dedicated to strengthening education leadership to improve student achievement; enhancing out-of-school learning opportunities and building appreciation and demand for the arts.