The National Endowment for the Arts today announced $19.8 million in one-time grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations to support the arts sector of the economy. In Rhode Island, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts will receive $291,500 which it will regrant to nonprofit organizations with significant arts programs in the Ocean State through a program called Arts Jobs: Solutions for the Ocean State.
Speaking on behalf of the National Endowment for the Arts, Acting Chairman Patrice Walker Powell said, "We applaud the ready response demonstrated by our national, state, and regional partners to support the arts. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact of this funding opportunity."
Commenting on the NEA grant award, State Arts Council Executive Director Randall Rosenbaum said, “we are pleased to participate in a program that acknowledges the role that the arts play in our state and national recovery, and helps employ artists and arts administrators during this difficult time.”
The NEA’s state and regional partners will invest their Recovery funds in projects that assist arts organizations in retaining critical staff as well as artists and other contractual personnel. These critical staff will enhance the ability of arts organizations to realize their artistic and public service goals. State and regional agencies will mirror the NEA’s Recovery grant program and adapt their programs to respond to the particular needs of their constituents.
In Rhode Island the State Arts Council has set up a special website at http://www.arts.ri.gov/recovery to provide information on this special grant opportunity. The Arts Council is also working closely with the State’s Office of Economic Recovery and Reinvestment (http://www.recovery.ri.gov/) as part of Rhode Island’s work with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Nonprofits with a significant program in the arts can apply to the State Arts Council for support at its May 1, 2009 deadline for this special federal stimulus program opportunity.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts -- both new and established -- bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest annual national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
Since the NEA was established, it has worked in partnership with the 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies and six multi-state regional arts organizations to meet the Arts Endowment’s goal of bringing the arts to all Americans. This dynamic relationship has resulted in an exemplary record of growth for the arts, stimulating an extraordinary economic impact in communities throughout the country. As required by the NEA’s legislation, forty percent of all grantmaking funds are designated for these partner agencies.
About the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.