Seven Austin area arts organizations are among those approved by the National Endowment for the Arts to receive a $50,000 grant directly through the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act).
The $50,000 non-matching grants are to intended to support staff salaries, fees for artists or contractual personnel, and facilities costs.
Only organizations that had previously received NEA grants were eligible to apply for the emergency funding.
In March, the NEA received a total $75 million in the CARES Act. The arts agency awarded 40 percent, or $30 million, to state and jurisdictional arts organizations and commissions. The remaining $45 million is now awarded directly to applicant organizations.
In Texas, some 44 arts organizations received a total of $2.2 million in CARES Act funding. Nationwide, the $50,000 grants were given to 846 organizations.
The Austin area organizations that received $50,000 grants are:
- Austin Film Society
- Georgetown Palace Theatre
- Mexic-Arte Museum
- Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance
- Tapestry Dance Company
- Texas Folklife Resources
- Women & Their Work
The NEA received more than 3,100 eligible applications requesting $157 million for the $45 million available in direct assistance. Some 18% of the grants went to organizations either in rural/non-metro areas or in metro areas with populations below 250,000.
