Arts groups to celebrate stimulus money

Western Mass. arts organizations are gathering with Sen. John Olver at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge next week to celebrate the stimulus dollars they're receiving and tout their importance to the state's economy. The release says, "Olver will formally announce the release of more than $1.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to nonprofit arts organizations across Massachusetts." The word "formally" there means it's not so much an announcement as a photo op and rally for the groups, many of whom have been hit hard by the recession. They got the funds through the NEA, the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), and the New England Foundation for the Arts.

But let's not sneeze at the money, which includes $280,000 in $10,000 grants from the MCC to state arts groups, and more than three times that in direct NEA grants of up to $50,000. We told you about some of these grants back in June. Olver, a Democrat from Amherst, will be joined by pols from Agawam and Lenox, as well as MCC Executive Director Anita Walker and, um, NEA Director of Dance Douglas Sonntag.

"Creative workers are a backbone of the Berkshire County economy and the stimulus funds provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and National Endowment for the Arts will help sustain employment and drive economic recovery. We are grateful for Congressman Olver's leadership in recognizing the importance of the creative sector, which drives 25% of the workforce of the Berkshires," the statement quoted Laurie Norton Moffatt, CEO/Director of Norman Rockwell Museum and co-founder of the Berkshire Creative Economy Council. The complete release is after the jump.

ARTS LEADERS JOIN U.S. REP. OLVER TO HIGHLIGHT
ARTS SECTOR’S ROLE IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY

(Stockbridge, MA)—Arts leaders from across Massachusetts will gather at the Norman Rockwell Museum Friday, Sept. 18 with Congressman John Olver to highlight the arts sector’s role in the U.S. economic recovery effort.

Olver will formally announce the release of more than $1.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to nonprofit arts organizations across Massachusetts. The stimulus funds come from a $50 million ARRA appropriation to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). ARRA funds were then made available to Massachusetts arts organizations via separate programs administered by the NEA, the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), and the New England Foundation for the Arts. A full list of arts stimulus grants is below. The announcement begins at 1 p.m.

“The arts sector is a vital contributor to the economic life of Western Massachusetts, and a major component of the creative economy statewide,” said Olver. “These grants will help preserve jobs in this sector while also ensuring that our arts organizations continue to provide public programs that enrich our communities and educate our young people.”

Congressman Olver (D-MA 1^st District) is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of its Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. Joining him for the announcement will be Mass. State Representatives Smitty Pignatelli of Lenox and Rosemary Sandlin of Agawam—members of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development— along with NEA Director of Dance Douglas Sonntag, MCC Executive Director Anita Walker, and Norman Rockwell Museum CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt. Other participants include state Reps. Dan Bosley of North Adams and Chris Speranzo of Pittsfield, MCC Board members Ira Lapidus and Ronald Feldman of Williamstown, local cultural council members from Western Mass., and officials from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) and Berkshire Creative.

Massachusetts cultural nonprofits provide nearly 37,000 jobs and have a total economic impact of over $4.2 billion. But the economic downturn has hurt this dynamic sector: A recent MCC survey of arts organizations that receive state funding found that nearly half have laid off at least one worker since the start of the current recession. Many others are reducing salaries and work hours, and instituting hiring freezes. In the broader nonprofit sector of Greater Boston, more than 4 in 10 organizations are reducing staff or salaries, according to a recent report by the Boston Foundation.

“The inclusion of the arts in ARRA was a welcome acknowledgement that the creative sector is an important part of our economy, and will be an important part of our recovery,” said Walker. “That could not have happened without supporters like Congressman Olver, and we are deeply grateful for that support.” 

"Creative workers are a backbone of the Berkshire County economy and the stimulus funds provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and National Endowment for the Arts will help sustain employment and drive economic recovery. We are grateful for Congressman Olver's leadership in recognizing the importance of the creative sector, which drives 25% of the workforce of the Berkshires," added Laurie Norton Moffatt, CEO/Director of Norman Rockwell Museum and co-founder Berkshire Creative Economy Council.

More information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
On February 17, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Act included an appropriation of $50 million to the NEA to be “distributed in direct grants to fund arts projects and activities which preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.” On March 24, NEA awarded stimulus funds to the MCC allocated by formula, based on a total distribution of $20 million to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations.

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council
The Massachusetts Cultural Council promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences, in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities.

The MCC is committed to building a central place for arts and culture in the everyday lives of communities across the Commonwealth. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists.

 

NEA Grants to Massachusetts:

 

Boston Dance Alliance, Inc.	Boston		$50,000
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Inc.	Becket		$50,000
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Inc.	Boston		$50,000
Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc.	Dorchester		$25,000
Raw Art Works, Inc.	Lynn		$50,000
Aspect, Inc.	Brookline		$25,000
Grub Street, Inc.	Boston		$25,000
City of Somerville, Massachusetts	Somerville		$25,000
Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, Inc.	Fitchburg		$25,000
Association of Independents in Radio, Inc.	Dorchester		$50,000
Center for Independent Documentary, Inc.	Sharon		$50,000
From the Top, Inc.	Boston		$50,000
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Inc.	Boston		$50,000
Norman Rockwell Museum at Stockbridge, Inc.	Stockbridge		$50,000
Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Inc.	Malden		$50,000
Emmanuel Music, Inc.	Boston		$50,000
Handel & Haydn Society	Boston		$50,000
Boston Academy of Music, Inc.	Boston		$25,000
Cloud Foundation	Boston		$50,000
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc.	North Adams		$50,000
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School	Adams		$50,000
Lesley University	Cambridge		$50,000
Massachusetts College of Art	Boston		$25,000
Worcester Center for Crafts, Inc.	Worcester		$50,000

 

 

MCC Arts Stimulus Grants (All grants are $10,000):

 

Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington
ArtsBoston, Inc., Boston
Bay State Performing Arts, Inc., Boston
The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield
Berkshire Theatre Festival, Inc., Stockbridge
Boston Center for the Arts, Inc., Boston
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Inc., Boston
Community Music School of Springfield, Springfield
DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst
Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Provincetown
Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton
Images Cinema, Williamstown
Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Inc., Boston
Medicine Wheel Productions, Inc., Boston
Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell
The Nora Theatre Company, Cambridge
Provincetown International Film Festival, Provincetown
Shakespeare & Company, Lenox
South Shore Conservatory, Hingham
Spontaneous Celebrations, Inc., Boston
The Springfield Museums, Springfield
The Theater Offensive, Cambridge
Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, Truro
Underground Railway Theater, Cambridge
Worcester Art Museum, Worcester
Zeiterion Theatre, Inc., New Bedford
Zumix, Inc., Boston

 

 

New England Foundation for the Arts Grants in Massachusetts:

 

Performing Artist Fee Support

The Colonial Theatre Association, Pittsfield, MA, to present The Acting Co., New York, NY  ($4,500)

Lawrence Sons of Italy, Lodge 902, Lawrence, MA, to present Circus Smirkus, Greensboro, VT  ($2,500)
University of Massachusetts, Fine Arts Center, Amherst, MA, to present Zakir Hussain, San Anselmo, CA ($10,000)
Worcester Elementary Arts School, Worcester, MA, to present Patricia Campbell, Newtown, CT ($1,301)

 

Presenter Salary Support

Celebrity Series of Boston, Boston ($15,000)

Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, Boston ($15,000)

New World Theater, Amherst ($15,000)

 

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