CMA To Receive $150,000 Grant From The National Endowment For The Arts

The Canton Museum of Art has been approved to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. CMA is recommended to receive $150,000 and may use this funding to save jobs and to fund operations and facilities, health and safety supplies, and marketing and promotional efforts to encourage attendance and participation. In total, the NEA will award grants totaling $57,750,000 to 567 arts organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC.

"Our nation's arts sector has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Endowment for the Arts' American Rescue Plan funding will help arts organizations, such as the Canton Museum of Art, rebuild and reopen," said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the NEA. "The arts are crucial in helping America's communities heal, unite, and inspire, as well as essential to our nation's economic recovery."

CMA Executive Director & CEO Max R. Barton II said, "We are honored to be among those select organizations funded in this tremendous effort to rebuild arts and culture after an unprecedented impact from COVID. The Canton Museum of Art never wavered in its commitment to bring art and inspiration to our community and to millions beyond, through both virtual content and in-person, when it was safe. Our curatorial, education, marketing, and art therapy teams delivered creative, innovative programming, and we never canceled an exhibition. Upon reopening in June 2020, our patron services group welcomed visitors back and worked daily to ensure everyone's safety while enjoying art in-person once again.

"I am grateful for each and every member of the CMA team, and grateful to our legislators - including Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, and Representative Bob Gibbs - and to the NEA for their commitment to the arts and working to ensure we recover and continue to strengthen and sustain our community through the economic impact of arts and culture."

The Canton Museum of Art will utilize the NEA funding to partially support key staff positions over two years, as well as curatorial and education operations. These areas were identified by staff and board as critical to our mission: "enriching lives and engaging diverse audiences and communities through dynamic exhibitions, education, and artistic programs that . . . make art accessible to all."

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. The funding for organizations is the third installment providing more than $57.7 million for arts organizations. In April 2021, the NEA announced $52 million (40 percent) in ARP funding would be allocated to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations for regranting through their respective programs. The second installment in November 2021 allocated $20.2 million to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to local artists and art organizations.

For more information on the NEA's American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of arts organizations funded in this announcement, visit www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.

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