Fifteen Vermont nonprofit arts organizations will receive a combined $946,300 in federal funding through the National Endowment for the Arts' spring grant round, with $704,300 going to the Vermont Arts Council for programs that benefit Vermont residents.
Nationwide, the NEA will make 1,023 awards totaling $74.3 million in this funding round.
Vermont Arts Council Executive Director Alex Aldrich commented in a press release, “On behalf of the 15 recipients of National Endowment for the Arts funding this round, I want to thank our U.S. Congressional delegation for their stalwart support of this small, but dynamic, federal agency. Funds from the NEA provide the cornerstone investment that the state must match so the Arts Council can serve the needs of Vermont’s arts sector. These funds, in combination with support from local sources, enable Vermont citizens and visitors to enjoy an astounding array of world-class cultural offerings throughout the year. The Arts Council salutes all the NEA grant recipients in Vermont.”
The other 14 Vermont arts organizations receiving direct funding from the NEA are:
- Kingdom County Productions, Barnet: $20,000 to support the Access Arts program, providing free and discounted tickets for its shows to youth and underserved communities.
- Vermont Agency of Education: $15,000 to support the Vermont Governor's Institute on the Arts.
- Burlington City Arts, Burlington: $25,000 to support Of Land and Local, a series of public exhibition projects and related activities.
- Curtains Without Borders, Burlington: $15,000 to support the expansion of activities designed to preserve historic painted theater scenery.
- Flynn Center, Burlington: $10,000 to support artist residencies, performances and commissions.
- Flynn Center, on behalf of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival: $30,000 to support the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.
- Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Burlington: $10,000 to support a performance touring project in underserved rural communities.
- Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, Colchester: $10,000 To support an after school music partnership program serving underserved communities in Winooski.
- Dorset Theatre Festival, Dorset: $10,000 to support the New Play Development Program, mentoring playwrights in the development of new plays from conception to production.
- Vermont Studio Center, Johnson: $20,000 to support a series of public presentations, residencies, and engagement activities.
- Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury: $32,000 to support the Vermont Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program.
- Craft Emergency Relief Fund, Montpelier: $15,000 to support an upgrade of Studio Protector 2.0, an online guide for artists seeking information on disaster preparedness.
- Catamount Film & Arts Co., St. Johnsbury: $15,000 to support We Are Vermont, a community engagement commissioning project.
- Weston Playhouse Theatre, Weston: $15,000 to support the production of "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams.
NEA Chairman Jane Chu said in a press announcement, “The NEA is committed to advancing learning, fueling creativity, and celebrating the arts in cities and towns across the United States including in Vermont. Funding these new projects represents a significant investment in local communities and the creative vitality of Vermont.”
