News

Last week, the U.S. House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), approved a $2.5 million increase for the NEA in its FY 2011 spending bill. This proposed increase for the agency is significant in light of a spending freeze on federal discretionary funds and a lower budget request by the administration. Currently funded at $167.5 million, this increase would bring the NEA's budget to $170 million. In his statement, Chairman Moran acknowledged that, "the increase recognizes the value we place, as a nation, on our artistic and cultural heritage."

Americans for the Arts is back on MTV’s 44 ½ to find out why the arts matter to you! The Why Arts Matter Video Contest call for proposals ad will be running on the MTV 44 ½ screen located in Times Square from Monday, July 19 through Sunday, July 25. Those of you in New York City can see the ad being playing :10, :20, :30, :40 minutes after the hour every hour. The MTV 44 ½ screen is directly across from the MTV studios.

Why Arts Matter Video Contest is created in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Americans for the Arts. Join us in celebrating the arts in America by creating a video that tells "Why the Arts Matter" to you!

To find read about contest rules and submission details please visit the Why Arts Matter Video Contest website.

Under the massive silos and steel girding of an industrial steel blast furnace, National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman announced 21 grants totaling $3 million awarded through the NEA Mayors' Institute on City Design 25th Anniversary Initiative (MICD 25).

Last week, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee agreed to level-fund the Arts in Education programs at the U.S. Department of Education at $40 million. This marks the first step in the  FY 2011 appropriations process. The House may take further action on this bill; however, it is likely that final appropriations actions will be on hold until after the election this fall. Read more about the Arts in Education programs here. 

The web version of the new NEA ARTS is posted. The issue focuses on the arts in Washington, DC

75 not-for-profits,including arts and cultural organizations, libraries, and universities,will receive grants totaling $1 million to host Big Read projects between September 2010 and June 2011.

On July 7, 2010, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) held a joint webinar and announced two new funding opportunities for the arts community. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has been spearheading negotiations with multiple federal agencies to broaden their grant guidelines to include components for arts and culture. Local arts agencies are encouraged to work with their city and county governments to apply for these new funding opportunities to create more livable communities through the arts. The two new opportunities are the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant and a combination of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program and the Sustainable Community Challenge Grant program.
The webinar covered both new funding opportunities, highlighting where nonprofit arts groups can participate. Access the full PowerPoint now, and check back at www.hud.gov/webcasts in the coming days for the full webinar. Additionally, you can read HUD’s press release.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: The pre-application deadline is July 26, 2010 and full applications are due August 23, 2010.

Click here for the full synopsis.

Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, interviewed Redford at an event on June 24 at the Philadelphia Theater Company presented by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (an affiliate of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce) and professional services company Towers Watson. Redford spoke about his childhood, his business experiences and the importance of creativity in business.

On July 7, 2010, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) held a joint webinar and announced two new funding opportunities for the arts community. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has been spearheading negotiations with multiple federal agencies to broaden their grant guidelines to include components for arts and culture. Local arts agencies are encouraged to work with their city and county governments to apply for these new funding opportunities to create more livable communities through the arts. The two new opportunities are the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant and a combination of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program and the Sustainable Community Challenge Grant program.

The webinar covered both new funding opportunities, highlighting where nonprofit arts groups can participate. Access the full PowerPoint now, and check back at www.hud.gov/webcasts in the coming days for the full webinar. Additionally, you can read HUD’s press release.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: The pre-application deadline is July 26, 2010 and full applications are due August 23, 2010.

Click here for the full synopsis.

Kicking off the program's fifth year, the National Endowment for the Arts today announced that 75 not-for-profits -- including arts and cultural organizations, libraries, and universities -- will receive grants totaling $1 million to host a Big Read project between September 2010 and June 2011.

Last week, HUD and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released two Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs): $100 million in grants available through HUD's Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program, and up to $75 million in grants available through a joint HUD and DOT Sustainable Communities Challenge Grant Program. Under both programs, arts organizations are eligible to partner with state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), transit agencies, philanthropic and non-profit organizations and other eligible applicants to develop consortia grant proposals.

Recently, congressional leaders from both parties met at the White House and agreed to adopt the president’s proposed three-year freeze on all federal discretionary spending not related to defense. President Obama proposed the freeze in his FY 2011 budget to address concerns about the growing federal deficit. His budget proposal was transmitted to Capitol Hill in February but has yet to be debated and voted on in Congress due to disagreements on procedural issues and a crowded legislative agenda. Although it is still too early to know the final impact, this recent bipartisan agreement on the freeze may prove worrisome for some valued federal arts and culture agencies and programs like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education.

Baltimore, MD — June 30, 2010 — More than 1,000 arts professionals, elected officials, community leaders, artists, educators, students, and corporate and foundation leaders gathered from June 25-27 in Baltimore, Maryland for the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit, the organization’s 50th Anniversary Annual Convention. The Summit featured a number of high-level speakers and presenters including Robert Redford, award-winning actor and arts advocate; Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor of the Huffington Post; Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts; and John Waters, noted filmmaker and best-selling author.

The conference afforded a broad spectrum of leaders the necessary tools to make a positive impact on their communities back home as well as an opportunity to plan for the dynamic future of the arts in America. The Half-Century Summit included an array of professional development sessions, visionary panels and small group discussions and was preceded by arts education and public art preconferences. Participants took advantage of a number of special events including a 50-year retrospective of public art, a one-man show by John Waters, a reception at the American Visionary Art Museum, a performance by the New York Neofuturists, and arts and cultural tours of Baltimore and the region.

Find more information on the Summit including videos, photos, blog posts, and tweets, by clicking here.

When compared with non-media participants, Americans who participate in the arts through technology and electronic media – using the Internet, television, radio, computers, and handheld devices – are nearly three times more likely to attend live arts events; attend twice as many live arts events; and attend a greater variety of genres of live arts events, according to a new report from the Arts Endowment

The Arts Endowment has launched its YouTube channel with 45 videos focused on interviews with NEA jazz Masters, NEA Opera Honors recipients, and Big Read authors.

The Arts Endowment has launched its Facebook Fan Page.

A bluegrass guitarist, sweetgrass basketweaver, and Ghanaian drum master are among this year's NEA National Heritage Fellowship recipients, announced today by National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman. This award is the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts

At today's meeting of the National Council on the Arts, NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman announced the recipients of the 2010 NEA Opera Honors: soprano Martina Arroyo, general director David DiChiera, composer Philip Glass, and music director Eve Queler.

he National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today announced the recipients of the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award -- the nation's highest honor in this distinctly American music.

At the 170th meeting of the National Council on the Arts, NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman announced the 18 artists who are receiving lifetime honorific awards for their significant contributions to their respective fields of jazz, folk and traditional arts, or opera.