What’s happening: The Lexington Arts Council is celebrating a big win this week, as the nonprofit arts organization recently announced that it has won a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The $10,000 Challenge America grant was awarded in support of the organization’s Lexington Bach Festival for 2022.
What it is: Now in its 22nd year, the Lexington Bach Festival celebrates the work of famed composer J.S. Bach and those influenced by him. This year’s festival will include three concerts from Thursday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. The festival will include more “informal” recitals at churches and schools, which may have helped win the Arts Council the award. The Challenge America grants are reserved for small to mid-sized organizations that provide the arts to underserved populations, based on factors of geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.
Rare air: The
Lexington Arts Council is just one of 28 organizations across Michigan to win the award (and the only one to win in the Blue Water Area), and one of 168 winning organizations across the nation. The organization last won the award in 2020.
What they’re saying: “These National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants underscore the resilience of our nation’s artists and arts organizations, will support efforts to provide access to the arts, and rebuild the creative economy,” says Ann Eilers, acting chair of the NEA. “The supported projects demonstrate how the arts are a source of strength and well-being for communities and individuals, and can open doors to conversations that address complex issues of our time.”
Plan ahead: For local arts organizations interested in applying for the NEA Challenge America grant for 2023, the first step in the application calendar includes registering your organization with System for Award Management (SAM) at
www.SAM.gov and
www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, April 21. The applicant portal opens on Tuesday, April 26.
Visit the NEA online for a complete breakdown of the application process.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
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