The Nebraska Arts Council (NAC) has approved grants to fifteen organizations totaling $271,800. The Nebraska Arts Jobs were funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided to the NAC by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). ARRA funds were restricted to Nebraska-based nonprofit arts organizations and were awarded exclusively to save salaried or contractual positions with these organizations.
47 applications were received for the Nebraska Arts Jobs program, and the following fifteen organizations were awarded one-time, nonrenewable grants. All applications were reviewed by a panel of volunteers selected for their expertise and impartiality.
Organization: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha
Grant Amount: $15,254
Job(s) preserved: Bemis Underground Director
Organization: Blue Barn Theatre, Omaha
Grant Amount: $6,101
Job(s) preserved: Artistic Director
Organization: Community Players Inc., Beatrice
Grant Amount: $8,706
Job(s) preserved: Box office/communications manager, Costume Librarian, Musical Directors (2), Pianists (2)
Organization: Film Streams, Inc., Omaha
Grant Amount: $22,800
Job(s) preserved: Film Booker
Organization: Lincoln Orchestra Association, Lincoln
Grant Amount: $18,306
Job(s) preserved: Music Director, Orchestra Manager, Contract Musicians.
Organization: Merrymakers Association, Omaha
Grant Amount: $20,592
Job(s) preserved: Program Coordinator
Organization: Hastings Symphony Orchestra, Hastings
Grant Amount: $15,254
Job(s) preserved: Executive Secretary, Conductor/Artistic Director
Organization: John Beasley Theater, Omaha
Grant Amount: $22,880
Job(s) preserved: Business manager
Organization: Kent Bellows Foundation, Omaha
Grant Amount: $22,880
Job(s) preserved: Director of Education
Organization: Omaha Theater Company, Omaha
Grant Amount: $28,000
Job(s) preserved: Teaching Artist / Stage Manager
Organization: Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, Omaha
Grant Amount: $29,500
Job(s) preserved: Equity Actors (3), Director
Organization: Norfolk Arts Center, Norfolk
Grant Amount: $11,953
Job(s) preserved: Assistant Director, Administrative Assistant, teaching artist
Organization: North Platte Community Playhouse Inc., North Platte
Grant Amount: $16,779
Job(s) preserved: General Manager
Organization: Post Playhouse, Chadron
Grant Amount: $9,915
Job(s) preserved: Managing Director, Artistic Director
Organization: Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial & Educational Foundation, Red Cloud
Grant Amount: $22,880
Job(s) preserved: Archivist, Opera House Director
According to Suzanne Wise, NAC Executive Director, “It’s important for people to know that the nonprofit arts industry plays a significant role in Nebraska’s economy. A loss of jobs from the arts sector has the same impact as the loss of a manufacturing job. Nebraska Arts Jobs helps arts organizations retain staff that in turn will be there to provide vital services and education to the community.” She added, “I would challenge anyone to find any business sector that can squeeze more benefit from a buck than nonprofit arts organizations do.”
As an agency of the State of Nebraska, the Nebraska Arts Council is part of the Nebraska’s Department of Administrative Services Budget Division’s efforts to ensure complete transparency and compliance in using ARRA funds. For more information, go to www.recovery.nebraska.gov.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts -- both new and established -- bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest annual national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
Since the NEA was established, it has worked in partnership with the 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies and six multi-state regional arts organizations to meet the Arts Endowment's goal of bringing the arts to all Americans. This dynamic relationship has resulted in an exemplary record of growth for the arts, stimulating an extraordinary economic impact in communities throughout the country. As required by the NEA's legislation, forty percent of all grant making funds are designated for these partner agencies.
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