The National Endowment for the Arts announced earlier this week that seven North Carolina organizations will receive grants totaling $325,000 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). That translates into nine full-time jobs, two-part-time positions and contracts for 19 artists.
The NEA received $50 million to preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn. The North Carolina organizations that were awarded grants are: American Dance Festival, Inc. in Durham, $50,000; EnergyXchange in Burnsville, $50,000; Greensboro Symphony Society, Inc. in Greensboro, $50,000; Museum of the New South, Inc. in Charlotte, $50,000; North Carolina Dance Theatre in Charlotte, $50,000; North Carolina Folklife Institute in Durham, $25,000; and Penland School of Crafts, Inc.
Penland, $50,000.
“These funds couldn’t come at a better time,” says Nancy Trovillion, the deputy director of the North Carolina Arts Council. “They will help preserve jobs for 30 arts professionals. All of these organizations have been smart about tightening their belts and increasing their fundraising efforts. They are very deserving of these grants.”
“We are very grateful and humbled to receive the NEA grant,” says Lisa Crawford, president and CEO of Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. “This grant will help the Greensboro Symphony navigate through these difficult times and ensure we maintain our full-time Marketing Director and full-time Education Manager. We have already been forced to make deep cuts throughout our organization. We still have many challenges in front of us and this grant will assist us in facing the tasks ahead with qualified and experienced staff.”
Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, president and artistic director for the North Carolina Dance Theatre says, “This grant ensures that our second company will be given a contract to work with our education program and help us out for our larger productions such as Cinderella and Nutcracker. Also, this junior company of six young professionals represents the future of our company.”
Only North Carolina arts organizations that had received grants from the NEA within the last four years were eligible to apply directly to the NEA for grants of $25,000 or $50,000. Organizations could apply for salary support for critical jobs that were in jeopardy or had been eliminated as a result of the current economic climate and for fees for previously engaged artists or contractual personnel to maintain or expand their engagements.
In addition, the North Carolina Arts Council will receive a portion of the NEA stimulus funds to subgrant. Grants amounts will range from $10,000 to $30,000 and will also support the preservation of critical jobs and artists’ contracts. Local arts councils, statewide service organizations and organizations that currently receive General Support and Outreach grants from the Arts Council were eligible to apply. Those grants will be announced in August.
About the North Arts Council
The North Carolina Arts Council works to make North Carolina The Creative State where a robust arts industry produces a creative economy, vibrant communities, children prepared for the 21st century and lives filled with discovery and learning. The Arts Council accomplishes this in partnership with artists and arts organizations, other organizations that use the arts to make their communities stronger, and North Carolinians — young and old — who enjoy and participate in the arts.
For more information visit www.ncarts.org
The N.C. Arts Council is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture.