TN Arts Organizations Receive 11 NEA Grants
From Allison Hill, National Endowment for the Arts –
The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce the first round of recommended awards for fiscal year 2021 totaling $27,562,040. Supported projects span 14 artistic disciplines in communities throughout the United States. Also included in this announcement are the recipients of NEA Literature Fellowships in creative writing and translation and support for arts research projects.
Eleven Tennessee arts organizations received grants totaling $250,000. They include:
International Storytelling Association
$35,000
Jonesborough, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Folk & Traditional Arts
Indie Memphis
$20,000
Memphis, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Media Arts
Wicker, Marcus
$25,000
Memphis, TN
Literature Fellowships: Creative Writing – Literary Arts
Belcourt Theatre, Inc.
$20,000
Nashville, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Media Arts
Chatterbird
$10,000
Nashville, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Music
Follow Your Heart Arts Inc
$10,000
Nashville, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Folk & Traditional Arts
Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County, Tennessee
$50,000
Nashville, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Local Arts Agencies
Nashville Ballet
$20,000
Nashville, TN
Grants for Arts Projects – Dance
Nashville Symphony Association (aka Nashville Symphony)
$25,000
Nashville, TN
Applications for these recommended grants were submitted in early 2020 and approved at the end of October 2020. Project descriptions are not included above in order to accommodate any pandemic-related adjustments. Current information is available in the Recent Grant Search. This list is accurate as of 12/16/2020.
“The creativity and resilience of artists and arts organizations across the country have inspired Americans during this challenging year,” said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “These projects represent the vitality and perseverance of arts organizations small and large to overcome significant challenges, transform to new ways of engagement, and forge new relationships that benefit the diverse populations in neighborhoods and cities throughout the United States.”
The Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) awards range from $10,000 to $100,000 and cover these artistic disciplines: Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater, and Visual Arts. In February 2020, the agency received 1,674 eligible GAP applications requesting more than $82.4 million in FY 2021 support. Approved for funding are 1,073 projects totaling nearly $25 million, with grants recommended to 64% of all applicants and an average grant amount of $23,190. Grant guidelines and upcoming application deadlines are now available on the Arts Endowment website for organizations wishing to apply.
The Arts Endowment is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Part of this commitment includes our partnership with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Outreach to develop relationships and help HBCUs navigate funding opportunities has led to an increased number of applications from and involving HBCUs.
The National Endowment for the Arts will award $1.2 million in FY 2021 Literature Fellowships to creative writers and translators. This includes 35 Creative Writing Fellowships of $25,000 each. These FY 2021 fellowships are in poetry and enable the recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. In addition, the Arts Endowment approved $325,000 in fellowships to 24 translators to translate works from 16 languages and 19 countries into English. Click here to take a more in-depth look at these fellowships and other Literary Arts grants this round.
The National Endowment for the Arts also offers two funding opportunities for research projects. This year marks the tenth anniversary of grants for arts research, a program currently known as Research Grants in the Arts. For FY 2021, 14 organizations are recommended for Research Grants in the Arts totaling $833,000. In addition, five NEA Research Labs are recommended for funding totaling $645,790. Transdisciplinary research partnerships grounded in the social and behavioral sciences will examine and report on the benefit of the arts in non-arts sectors. Click here to explore more about the recommended arts research awards.
Many supported projects are currently working in a virtual space. This is also true for the panel process. Once applications are submitted to the agency for consideration and staff have reviewed them for eligibility and completeness, a panel of dedicated experts with knowledge and experience in their field review and score each application in accordance with the published review criteria. Recommendations are then made to the National Council on the Arts. The council makes recommendations to the Chairman, who makes the final decision on all grant awards. The Arts Endowment assembles diverse panels every year with regard to geography, race and ethnicity, and artistic points of view. To learn more about the process or to volunteer as a panelist, click here.
