Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
NEA awards more than $4 million to California arts projects
A student working during a 826LA writing workshop. 826LA is among the 2015 California "Art Works" grant winners.
(
826LA/Flickr
)
The National Endowment for the Arts awarded more than $4 million through 178 grants to support arts projects in California in the latest round of grant funding. Projects range from a set of plays based on interviews with families who rely on food banks, to dance pieces that commemorate the National Park Service.
"The arts are part of our everyday lives — no matter who you are or where you live - they have the power to transform individuals, spark economic vibrancy in communities, and transcend the boundaries across diverse sectors of society. Supporting projects like those in California offers more opportunities to engage in the arts every day," NEA chairman Jane Chu said in a written statement.
In the 50 years of the organization, NEA has awarded more than $5 billion in grants. This year, NEA awarded $27.7 million to projects across the county. The bulk of the money — more than $26 million — went to "Art Works" grants, which fund projects that focus on the creation and presentation of work and new ways of promoting arts in the community.
More than $2 million nationally went to arts education projects. Here's a selection of Southern California-based grantees in that category:
- 826LA, Los Angeles, $15,000 — To support the Young Authors' Book Project, an in-depth creative writing and publishing project for high school students.
- City Hearts, Topanga, $15,000 — To support the full-year program, Setting the Stage-Arts Learning For Life, where teachers will lead arts classes in schools and communities throughout LA County.
- Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) Los Angeles, $50,000 — To support the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles at Heart of Los Angeles, an after-school music program, that provides free ensemble-based music instruction to students.
- KCET, Burbank, $25,000 — To support Departures: Youth Voices along the LA River, a media arts education program,
- Ryman Arts, Los Angeles, $25,000 — To support pre-professional studio art classes for high school students, focusing on drawing from observation, color and composition, and critical analysis.
- Unusual Suspects Theatre Co., Los Angeles, $15,000 — To support the Youth Theater Residency Program, where students will study theater arts, create their own plays, and collaboratively produce and perform in each other's plays.
- Venice Arts, Venice, $10,000 — To support the Art Mentoring Program, where youth receive free, technologically intensive arts instruction with a focus on art creation in photography, filmmaking, and digital media.
During this round of funding, the NEA marked both its 50th anniversary and the centennial of The National Park Service with grants that support arts projects that take place in National Parks. Eight California projects received funding from the "Imagine Your Parks" grant, including the Echo Park-based Machine Project. The group plans to curate performances, installations and other pieces that explore the legacy of National Parks. Think, nature hikes that end in concerts or virtual tours of scenic peaks.
Support for LAist comes from
A smaller portion of funding goes to Challenge America grants, which support smaller organizations that deliver arts to underserved populations. Two dozen California organizations received those grants. Explore the full list of grantees here.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago. -
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
Best of LAist