Message from Chairman Mary Anne Carter

Dear Friends,

As America continues to confront this period of unprecedented change and uncertainty, we want to assure you that one thing will not change: our support for the arts across this great nation.

The National Endowment for the Arts is open for business. Our staff, while working remotelyis available to you via phone or email, as usual.

As you may know, Congress appropriated $75 million to the National Endowment for the Arts through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to preserve jobs and help support organizations forced to close operations due to the spread of COVID-19. The National Endowment for the Arts is thankful to the President and members of Congress for recognizing the cultural and economic contributions of the arts and trust in the agency’s capacity to manage such a large amount of additional work in a relatively short period of time on behalf of the American public.

Forty percent of this funding was awarded directly to state and regional arts agencies to distribute through their funding programs. On July 1, the Arts Endowment announced that 855 organizations—located in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico—will receive a total of $44.5 million in nonmatching funds to support staff salaries, fees for artists or contractual personnel, and facilities costs.

We know that there are more than five million Americans who make their livelihoods in the broader arts and cultural sector across the country and are potentially at risk. We also know that the arts provide comfort, resilience, wisdom, and the means for self-expression and connection, perhaps even more so during challenging times such as these. We have relief resources and opportunities related to COVID-19 available on our website, and we will continue to update these sections with new information as it becomes available.

As you focus on the health and safety of yourself and your loved ones, please know that we are in this together, and that you can continue to rely on our full support.

With gratitude for all that you do,

Mary Anne Carter
Chairman