Rep. Doris Matsui Announces an Additional $1.2 Million in Grants for Sacramento Arts Projects; California Arts Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 1, 2009
CONTACT: Alexis Marks or Mara Lee
(202) 225-7163
Rep. Doris Matsui Announces an Additional $1.2 Million in Grants for Sacramento Arts Projects; California Arts Council
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) announced $1,297,800 in National Endowment for the Arts grants for Sacramento today, which will help support creative arts and arts education projects in the Sacramento area. Sacramento grant award recipients include: the California Arts Council; Hmong Cultural Arts, Crafts, Teaching andamp; Museum Projects; Crocker Art Museum Association; Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, and California Presenters.
Projects that will be funded include commissions, residencies, rehearsals, workshops, performances, exhibitions, publications, festivals and training programs for both new and established programs. According to Patrice Walker Powell, Acting Chairwoman of the National Endowment of the Arts, these grants are expected to generate, on average, seven dollars for each one dollar awarded.
andquot;The release of these funds by the National Endowment for the Arts will have the dual advantage of preserving Sacramento jobs while encouraging creativity and participation in our local arts community,andquot; said Congresswoman Matsui. "The non-profit arts industry is an important sector of the economy, and the National Endowment for the Arts is uniquely positioned to fund arts projects and activities that preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn."
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, 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 nation's largest annual funder of the arts, bringing art to all 50 states, including cities like Sacramento.
"I visited the Crocker just last week, and was able to see the amazing work they are doing to improve their facility so they can support local artists, and involve the local schools and community into their projects," said Rep. Matsui. "Art plays an important role in Sacramento, and I am pleased that these grants will help sustain Sacramento's artists and art community."
The California Arts Council, located in downtown Sacramento, strives to advance California through the arts and creativity with an emphasis on children and artistically underserved communities. Today's announcement is in addition to $502, 400 in American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds for the California Arts Council three weeks ago to help preserve jobs at the statewide non-profit, including jobs in Sacramento.
"The California Arts Council greatly appreciates Congresswoman Doris Matsui's support of the increased National Endowment for the Arts budget: the additional funds will help us put artists into California classrooms and provide technical assistance and convenings of artists and arts organizations throughout the state," said Muriel Johnson, California Arts Council Director. "Congresswoman Matsui has always championed local arts in the Sacramento region. We thank her for her national, state and local support of the arts."
National Endowment for the Arts grants announced today include the following Sacramento projects:
California Arts Council $1,194,800
Funding will support statewide and regional partnership agreement activities.
Hmong Cultural Arts, Crafts, Teaching andamp; Museum Projects $53,000
The awarded grants will fund the Hmong Cultural Arts Teaching Project, where local artists will lead year-round, daily after-school classes in pa dao (embroidery), the qeej (free-read aerophone of bundled bamboo pipes), and folk dance movement in preparation for performances and demonstrations at public festivals and other community events.
Crocker Art Museum Association$25,000
The grants will support the publication of a catalogue of the permanent collection, and coincide with the museum's 125 anniversary as well as the addition of its new addition, connecting the two 19th century buildings that compromise the museum.
Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra $17,500
Funding will support the Building Bridges Project, an education outreach program, with a series of concerts, master classes, and lectures that will feature American premieres if works influenced by Israeli, Persian, and Egyptian cultures as a means to engage the area's diverse Arab-Muslim and Jewish populations.
California Presenters $10,000
Funding will support the 26th annual Artist Information Exchange, designed for performing arts presenters. The program enables a peer-to-peer exchange among presenters as a means to learn about artists suitable for venues and programming budgets of all sizes.
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