Latest NEA funds to assist the vital arts economy and post-pandemic revitalization
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) announced today the state’s arts agency and five arts organizations will receive $988,200 in recommended grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The awards will be given to the Newport Music Festival, $15,000; AS220, $15,000; Brown University, $20,000; Community MusicWorks, $60,000; FirstWorks, $20,000; and RISCA, $858,200.
The grants are from three NEA funding categories, Grants for Arts Projects, Our Town, and State and Regional Partnerships. In total, this round of NEA’s distribution was more than $91 million in recommended grants to organizations in all 50 states and U.S. jurisdictions.
“As a key economic driver, our arts sector is an important part of Rhode Island’s recovery,” Governor Dan McKee said. “On behalf of our state, I thank the National Endowment for the Arts for their support. These investments are critical in helping to rebuild a sector that plays an important role in our cities and towns.”
“These non-profits enrich our communities through the arts and help diversify our economy. I’m pleased to support federal funding for these artistic, cultural and educational programs,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed.
“The NEA is one of the biggest supports for the arts and cultural organizations that help make Rhode Island a great place to live and work,” said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “Federal investments have a significant role to play as the arts community continues to recover from the pandemic.”
“I am thrilled that the NEA has decided to fund these local organizations that play such a vital role in Rhode Island’s vibrant arts scene,” said Rep. Jim Langevin. “As we continue to recover from the pandemic, our arts economy is getting Rhode Islanders back out into their communities. This funding will help drive jobs and meaningful community events and programs.”
Rep. David Cicilline said: “These federal investments will help grow Rhode Island’s vibrant arts community and creative economy. These grants are essential in helping the arts community recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I will continue to work to make sure that Rhode Island artists and arts organizations receive the resources they need to continue their invaluable contributions to our communities.”
“Through our work with state and regional partners, the National Endowment for the Arts can extend its impact, reaching even more communities throughout the nation, providing opportunities for all of us to live artful lives,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “The arts contribute to our individual well-being, the well-being of our communities, and to our local economies. The arts are also crucial to helping us make sense of our circumstances from different perspectives as we emerge from the pandemic and plan for a shared new normal informed by our examined experience.”
RISCA spokesperson, Faye Zuckerman, expressed gratitude for the federal support Rhode Island’s arts organizations receive from the NEA. She said, “The federal funding will provide greater access to the arts, arts educators and organizations, among others. We thank our Congressional delegation and the NEA for once again noting the importance of the arts in our state and investing in our arts and culture economy.”