Fine arts organizations can seek grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The arts teach people about the human experience and open their minds to different ways of life or different viewpoints. The United States government has made it a priority to subsidize the promotion of the arts through grants awarded to various organizations.
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an agency of the United States government tasked with promoting and protecting the arts in society. The NEA was founded in 1965 and has been instrumental in helping various state and local agencies and organizations showcase the arts to their citizens. Since its creation in 1965, the NEA has provided over $4 billion in grants to various organizations, as of May 2011. Organizations that are interested in applying for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts can search for grants on the NEA website and apply for a grant through the federal government's online grant application portal at Grants.gov.
Access to Artistic Excellence Grants
The NEA's Access to Artistic Excellence grant program provides grant money to organizations with a focus of either increasing and access to the arts and the preservation of the arts. The National Endowment for the Arts has recommended the approval of 789 grants for 2011 for a total of nearly $25 million. An example of an Access to Artistic Excellence Grant is a $25,000 grant awarded to the National Constitution Center for the Fighting for Democracy Theater Exhibition.
Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth Grants
The NEA's Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth grant program provides grant money to organizations with a focus on art education and art appreciation for school children. The National Endowment for the Arts has recommended the approval of 229 grants for 2011 for a total of $7.4 million. An example of a Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth grant is a $50,000 grant awarded to the New School University for the continued operation of a program dedicated to teaching and promoting game design.
Arts on Radio and Television Grants
The NEA's Arts on Radio and Television grant program provides grant money to organizations with a focus on producing radio and television programs dedicated to the arts. The National Endowment for the Arts has recommended the approval of 64 grants for 2011 for a total of $4 million, producing over 31,000 hours of radio and television programs. An example of an Arts on Radio and Television grant is a $170,000 grant awarded to Independent Television Service for its production of a television show entitled "Independent Lens," which is broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service's network of channels.
