Arts Council Grant Recipient

By Dale Gathright, Jr., 07/28/20 10:18 AM

 

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of Arkansas Heritage, has announced 103 nonprofit arts organizations have been awarded $491,692 as part of the CARES Act Relief Grant. That number includes:

Southwest Arkansas Arts Council, Inc. of Hope-$4,949.40

“Our nonprofit arts organizations are struggling financially from quarantines, cancellations and closures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “Our relief grants will help our creative industry survive and thrive. Helping our creatives now improves the quality of life and overall economy for all Arkansans.”

The Arkansas Arts Council CARES Act Relief Grants were awarded to Arkansas nonprofit arts organizations in need because of COVID-19 and were made possible through funding by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

Congress recently appropriated $75 million to the NEA as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The money is meant to support arts organizations and preserve jobs nationwide. The Arkansas Arts Council was awarded a $441,500 grant, which was used to create “subgrants” for nonprofit arts organizations in Arkansas. The Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism added another $50,000 in support.

“This grant helps us save arts-sector jobs and services,” said Jimmy Bryant, Arkansas Heritage director. “The creative economy contributes millions to Arkansas’ overall economic health and is an important part of our state’s culture and heritage.”