National Endowment for the Arts Announces Ohio American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 Grant Winners
by Jaclyn Reynolds
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) completed its review and approval process for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) grants to nonprofit arts organizations at the 167th meeting of the National Council on the Arts on June 26. These grants are intended to preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.
The NEA awarded a total of $700,000 to 12 organizations in Ohio including: the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, Inc., Toledo, ($250,000); Ballet Metropolitan, Inc., Columbus, ($50,000); Canton Symphony Orchestra Association, Canton, ($25,000); Cincinnati Museum Association, Cincinnati, ($50,000); Cityfolk, Inc., Dayton, ($50,000); Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, ($50,000); Cleveland PlayHouse, Cleveland, ($25,000); Cleveland Public Theatre, Inc., Cleveland, ($50,000); Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, ($50,000); Contemporary Dance Theater, Inc., Cincinnati, ($50,000); SPACES, Cleveland, ($25,000); and YS Kids Playhouse, Yellow Springs, ($25,000). The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo will act as a regranting agency and award grants to arts organizations in northwest Ohio. “The Ohio Arts Council congratulates these deserving organizations in these successful awards,” said OAC Executive Director Julie S. Henahan. “Nearly 3,000 applicants from across the country applied for these highly competitive grants.” The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) applied for and received $353,400 from the NEA as part of the ARRA. The OAC established the Ohio Arts Jobs Preservation Grants program to provide direct grants to Ohio organizations to preserve jobs. Organizations from around the state applied to the program for salary support, full or partial for one or more positions that are critical to their artistic mission, and/or fees for previously engaged artists and/or contractual personnel. There were 149 applicants, and 137 remained eligible after the NEA announced their grantees. Organizations can only receive one grant from ARRA funds. The panel meeting to determine Ohio Arts Jobs Preservation Grants funding recipients will be held July 27-28 at the Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, 77 S. High Street, 31st Floor, Columbus. The panel is open to the public. The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.[top]