Higgins announces $65,000 in National Endowments for the Arts grants for WNY

4 arts organizations will receive federal funding

Congressman Brian Higgins announced the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded federal funding to several Western New York organizations. Arts Services Initiative of Western New York received a $10,000 grant, while Squeaky Wheel received $15,000, Burchfield-Penney Art Center received $30,000, and the Center for Exploratory and Perceptual Arts received $10,000.

The awards come from two of the NEA’s three grant categories: art works and “Challenge America,” which both support nonprofit organizations. The grants will go to supporting access to arts programs, expanding arts education, helping organizations with resources, and digital catalogue production.

Higgins said: “The grants awarded by the NEA will be critical in helping these great organizations continue their arts advocacy, education and preservation. Western New York has a dynamic, vibrant arts community, and funding like this will help carry on that tradition that we’re so proud to have in our region.”

The awards are part of the NEA’s first round of grant funding for fiscal year 2019. In this round, $27 million was granted to organizations in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. A total of 252 grants and nearly $7 million was awarded to arts organizations in New York state.

Established as an independent federal agency by Congress in 1965, the NEA provides support and funding for excellence in the arts and arts education. The NEA has awarded Western New York arts organizations more than $3.7 million since 2000.