DATE: February 4, 2022
CONTACT: Jenina Podulka, Communications Manager, (212) 268-3337 ext. 707; jeninapodulka@nationalguild.org
New York, NY—The National Guild for Community Arts Education (Guild) is pleased to announce they have been approved to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. The Guild is recommended to receive $150,000 in support of its mission to ensure all Americans have opportunities to maximize their creative potential by developing leaders, strengthening organizations, and advocating for community arts education. In total, the NEA will award grants totaling $57,750,000 to 567 arts organizations (including 11 Guild member organizations) in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC.
“Our nation’s arts sector has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Endowment for the Arts’ American Rescue Plan funding will help arts organizations, such as The National Guild for Community Arts Education, rebuild and reopen,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the NEA. “The arts are crucial in helping America’s communities heal, unite, and inspire, as well as essential to our nation’s economic recovery.”
“The COVID crisis is still taking an alarming toll on the community arts education field, especially BIPOC-led, small budget, and culturally-specific organizations,” said Karen LaShelle (Chair of the Board of Trustees, National Guild for Community Arts Education). “Since March 2020, we have endeavored to be transparent, nimble, and deeply collaborative with practitioners from all over the country. It is gratifying to receive this support in order to continue this important work.”
With this investment, the Guild is building on its track record of supporting the community arts education workforce in challenging times with a robust menu of online content open to all, and removing financial barriers to participation. By harnessing the creativity and leadership of the arts and cultural sector, the Guild is guiding efforts to build a field that is human-centered and grounded in equity.
The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. The funding for organizations is the third installment providing more than $57.7 million for arts organizations. In April 2021, the NEA announced $52 million (40 percent) in ARP funding would be allocated to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations for regranting through their respective programs. The second installment in November 2021 allocated $20.2 million to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to local artists and art organizations.
For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of arts organizations funded in this announcement, visit www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.
Published: February 04, 2022