Federal grants to 64 orchestras will preserve jobs in communities nationwide, thanks to awards totaling $2.6 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The orchestras will use the federal funds to preserve full- and part-time administrative and artistic positions that were at risk of being eliminated due to the struggling economy. A complete list of direct grants to orchestras, awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), can be found here. “America’s orchestras fuel local economies, attract new business development, spark the imaginations of young people, and, through the power of music, unite individuals and cultures in times of challenge as well as celebration,” said League of American Orchestras President and CEO Jesse Rosen. “These stimulus funds will enable orchestras to continue making meaningful contributions to community cultural life while helping to stabilize their local economies.” The federal funds will give orchestras the human resources they need to preserve vital offerings like summer concerts and education programs, as well as maintain a full range of repertoire and artistic offerings. Orchestras that did not receive direct NEA stimulus grants may be eligible to apply for support from state and regional arts agencies that have received NEA stimulus funding.
Posted July 10, 2009
