Economic Stimulus Funds Preserve Jobs in Kentucky's Arts and Cultural Sector

July 28, 2009 - PRLog -- FRANKFORT, KY — National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funds have been granted to 27 Kentucky non-profit arts organizations through the Kentucky Arts Council, the Southern Arts Federation and directly from the NEA as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The $664,276 will preserve jobs in Kentucky that are threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.

There were 76 applicant organizations requesting $1.2 million in funds.

"We were fortunate to have a little over $300,000 in resources from the NEA to fund the 18 organizations that demonstrated the strongest need and best plan to sustain jobs or pay for artists' fees,” said Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council.

The Kentucky Arts Council awarded ARRA grants to the following organizations:

Behringer-Crawford Museum
Covington
$20,000

Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington
Covington
$8,943

Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft
Louisville
$20,000

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum
Renfro Valley
$20,000

Kentucky Opera Association
Louisville
$20,000

Kentucky Repertory Theatre
Horse Cave
$10,000

Kentucky Theatre Association
Lexington
$7,200

Living Arts & Science Center
Lexington
$20,000

Louisville Theatrical Association
Louisville
$20,000

Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center
Paducah
$20,000

Mayfield/Graves County Art Guild
Mayfield
$12,000

Montgomery County Council for the Arts
Mt. Sterling
$20,000

Mountain Arts Center
Prestonsburg
$20,000

Music Institute of Lexington
Lexington
$20,000

Owensboro Symphony Orchestra
Owensboro
$18,633

Paramount Arts Center
Ashland
$20,000

Public Theatre of Kentucky
Bowling Green
$20,000

Walden Theatre Corporation
Louisville
$10,000

TOTAL (KAC) $306,776

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet that creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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The Southern Arts Federation awarded ARRA grants to the following Kentucky organizations:

Actors Theatre of Louisville
Louisville
$20,000

Paducah Symphony
Paducah
$20,000

Pennyroyal Arts Council
Hopkinsville
$17,500

TOTAL (SAF) $57,500

The Southern Arts Federation has been awarded $547,500 in Recovery Act funding which will be used to preserve jobs in the arts in a nine-state region. SAF has distributed this funding for regranting through the state arts agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In the nine states that make up the Southern Arts Federation region, all of the ARRA funds coming directly from the National Endowment for the Arts, from state arts agencies, from local arts council regranting, and from regionals like SAF total $8,130,300.

The Southern Arts Federation, a non-profit regional arts organization founded in 1975, creates partnerships and collaborations; assists in the development of artists, arts professionals and arts organizations; presents, promotes and produces Southern arts and cultural programming; and advocates for the arts and arts education. The organization works in partnership with the state arts agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, member states, foundations, businesses and individuals.  
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The National Endowment for the Arts awarded ARRA grants to the following Kentucky organizations:

Appalachian Heritage Alliance
Campton
$25,000

Appalshop
Whitesburg
$50,000

Louisville Ballet
Louisville
$50,000

Lexington Children's Theatre
Lexington
$50,000

Louisville Orchestra
Louisville
$50,000

Morehead State University
Morehead
$25,000

University of Kentucky Research Foundation
Lexington
$50,000

TOTAL (NEA): $300,000

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.

Contact:
Ed Lawrence
Communications Director
Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet
(502) 564-3757 ext. 473
ed.lawrence@ky.gov

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