July 16, 2009

Markell, Denn Announce Delaware Recipients Of Federal Arts Stimulus Funding

Wilmington – Governor Jack A. Markell and Lt. Governor Matthew Denn announced the names Thursday of thirteen Delaware arts organizations that will receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
 
“Arts organizations are a major economic engine in Delaware and play a vital role in attracting new businesses to our state,” said Governor Jack Markell. “Today’s announcement underscores that the arts and culture industries are an important part of the solution to Delaware’s economic recovery and long-term health.”

The federal ARRA legislation allocated $50 million to the NEA to “preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support” during the current economic downturn. Forty percent of those funds were allocated for distribution to the state arts agencies and regional arts organizations, with the remainder being distributed via direct NEA grants.

These one-year, one-time grants are limited to salary support for existing positions that are in jeopardy or have been eliminated as a result of the current economic climate. A few organizations were eligible to apply directly to the federal and regional agencies, as well as the Delaware Division of the Arts, but grants could only be accepted from a single ARRA funding source.  
 
The Delaware Division of the Arts is awarding $290,400 in grants to 11 organizations to support 14 positions in the state. They are:

Christina Cultural Arts Center, Wilmington ($20,000)

Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington ($50,000)

Delaware by Hand, Statewide ($10,000)

Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington ($40,000)

Delaware Division of Parks & Recreation, Statewide ($35,000)

Delaware Institute for Arts in Education, Statewide ($5,000)

Delaware Theatre Company, Wilmington ($40,000)

Newark Arts Alliance, Newark ($20,000)

The New Candlelight Theatre, Ardentown ($22,500)

OperaDelaware, Wilmington ($27,900)

Wilmington Drama League, Wilmington ($20,000)

Additionally, the National Endowment for the Arts and Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation awarded one grant each in Delaware, representing another $80,000 and preserving one more position each at the Delaware Symphony Orchestra ($50,000) and the Grand Opera House ($30,000), respectively.

For more information, please visit http://www.artsdel.org/grants/ARRA.shtml .