Ed Lawrence

Public Information Officer

502-564-3757 ext. 473

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced an award of a State Partnership Agreement Grant of $617,300 to the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet. The NEA State Partnership Grant enhances state funding and helps state agencies address fundamental priorities at the state level. “Federal funding for the arts is very helpful in Kentucky,” said Arts Council Executive Director Gerri Combs. “Through this partnership with the NEA, we are able to provide support to organizations that provide arts experiences for Kentuckians, whether they live in rural areas, the suburbs or inner-city neighborhoods. A thriving arts environment is important for every type of community.”

Similar state and regional partnerships in most of the 50 states and six jurisdictional arts agencies across the nation will receive 64 grants from NEA targeted to support arts education, cultural tourism and fostering access to the arts in rural, inner city and other underserved communities.

The Kentucky Arts Council uses these funds across the board in agency work. Although some allocations go towards administrative costs, the bulk of the funds are used in grants for operational support of local arts organizations, artist residency programs in Kentucky schools, community arts development and technical assistance in areas of accessibility and participation building.

Additionally, the Kentucky Arts Council has been awarded $25,000 to support a folklorist position in the Kentucky Folklife Program through the NEA’s Folk and Traditional Arts Infrastructure Initiative grant category. Specifically, the grant will be used to build partnerships with educational programs, such as the Community Scholars Program, and other diverse groups.

For more information about the Kentucky Arts Council’s programs and services, visit their Web site at www.artscouncil.ky.gov.

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The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet. Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council invests in programs that develop vibrant communities, provide lifelong education in the arts and support arts participation. Every $1 in grant funds awarded by the Kentucky Arts Council helps grantees secure $15 in earned income and matching funds from individuals, philanthropic sources and other levels of government.

The National Endowment for the Arts 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 Endowment is the largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.