February 14, 2018 – Peterborough, N.H. –The National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has announced a $30,000 Art Works grant to The MacDowell Colony to bring 20 artists from diverse backgrounds to The Colony for the first time. MacDowell, the nation’s first artist residency program, will also leverage the grant to raise matching private funding.
“It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEA-supported projects, such as this one to MacDowell, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities, and connections the arts bring.”
“This grant will support artists from diverse communities and backgrounds who have never been in-residence before, and give them the opportunity to create new work and meet other creative artists. It will also have a direct impact on providing expanded access to the arts in the Peterborough area and beyond,” said MacDowell Executive Director Cheryl A. Young. “Fellows often take part in our MacDowell in the Schools and MacDowell Downtown programs, where they interact with the public and are enriched by the experience even as our region’s arts culture is enriched.”
To attract qualified applicants who would otherwise not be able to afford time off for a residency, MacDowell will provide financial aid and travel support of up to $2,000 per artist in addition to the residency Fellowships supported by this grant. Stipends may be used to cover lost income and ongoing expenses during the residency. MacDowell distributes nearly $150,000 annually in direct aid to artists of need.
In total, the NEA approved more than $25 million in grants as part of its first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement are all grants made within Art Works, the NEA’s largest funding category. Art Works supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.
Contemporary for 110 years:
The MacDowell Colony is a contemporary arts organization that nurtures artists in seven disciplines and presents more than 300 diverse emerging and established boundary-pushing artists with MacDowell Fellowships awarded by competitive peer review each year. Located on 450 wooded acres in New Hampshire, MacDowell also awards the Edward MacDowell Medal annually and engages a wider public with the creative process through community and school programs that foster cultural dialog and expand appreciation for the arts. As the nation’s first artist residency program, MacDowell has been advancing artistic freedom since 1907, its 14,500 residencies leading to a legacy of award-winning artworks exhibited, published, and performed around the world.
More Information:
Media Inquiries: Jonathan Gourlay at jgourlay@macdowellcolony.org or 603-924-3886, ext.114
For information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
