June 13, 2022
The City of Lawrence was selected to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and culture sector recover from the pandemic. The City is receiving $150,000 and will work with the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission to distribute grants in our community to eligible non-profit organizations. The grant funding can be used to help save jobs as well as help fund operations and facilities, health and safety supplies, and marketing and promotional efforts.
In total, the NEA will award $20,200,000 in grants to 66 local arts agencies nationwide for subgranting.
“The NEA’s significant investment in local arts agencies, including the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission is a key element in helping the arts and culture sector recover and reopen, while ensuring that American Rescue Plan funding is distributed equitably,” said Ann Eilers, acting chair, NEA. “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.”
City of Lawrence staff are working with Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission members to develop a grant application program for local arts and culture non-profits to apply for funds. To help determine funding levels, all Lawrence arts and culture 501(c)(3) organizations interested in this grant opportunity are asked to submit the intent to apply form linked here.
”The City and the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission are very happy to receive this grant and provide subgrants to help support our local arts and culture organizations as they recover from the financial impact of the pandemic,” said Daniel Smith, chair, Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission.
This is the second of three installments of the NEA’s American Rescue Plan funding. Last April, the NEA announced that 40 percent of its $135 million in ARP funding would be allocated to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations for regranting through their respective programs. The third installment of ARP funding to arts organizations to support their own operations will be announced in early 2022.
For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of local arts agencies funded in this announcement, visit their website: www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.
Contact: Porter Arneill, Director of Communications and Creative Resources, parneill@lawrenceks.org