The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced today that 66 local arts agencies will receive $20,200,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) grants intended to help the arts and culture sector recover from the pandemic. The funds will be used to provide subgrants to qualifying recipients in local communities in order to save jobs, fund operations and facilities, as well as for marketing and promotional initiatives to encourage attendance and participation, and to procure health and safety supplies. On arts.gov, you can see the whole list of grantees.

“The NEA’s significant investment in local arts agencies is a key element in helping the arts and culture sector recover and reopen, while ensuring that that American Rescue Plan funding is distributed equitably,” said Ann Eilers, NEA’s acting chair. “These grants recognize the vital role of local arts agencies and will allow them to help rebuild local economies and contribute to the well-being of our communities.”

This is the second of three installments of the NEA’s American Rescue Plan funding; the third installment of ARP funding to arts organizations to support their own operations will be announced in early 2022. 

Ensuring that the NEA could provide these relief funds to local arts agencies to subgrant throughout their communities has been a priority for Americans for the Arts throughout the consideration of the American Rescue Plan by the Administration and Congress.