The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced its first round of 2023 awards, providing $34 million in funding to organizations across the country, with a total of over $1 million going to 67 Texas arts organizations. This is the first of two grant announcements for this fiscal year and includes awards provided through the NEA’s Grants for Arts Projects, Challenge America, and Research Award granting programs, as well as awards to individuals for Literature Fellowships.
Grants for Arts Projects is the NEA’s largest program, providing funds ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 to support public engagement with art, the creation of new art, arts education, and projects integrating the arts into communities. Some Texas visual art organizations that received Grants for Arts Projects funding include the Abilene Arts Alliance ($20,000), Women & Their Work ($40,000), Galveston Arts Center ($20,000), Aurora Picture Show ($15,000), Orange Show Foundation ($20,000), and Artpace ($40,000).
Women & Their Work
In a press release distributed by Women & Their Work, the organization’s Executive Director, Chris Cowden, stated, “Women & Their Work is very honored to receive support from the National Endowment for the Arts. This national recognition helps Women & Their Work continue to champion a wide array of diverse women artists and the art they create and it’s especially welcome for this, our 45th anniversary year.”
Challenge America grants of $10,000 are awarded to reach historically underserved communities. Texas visual and performing art organizations that received these grants include Deaf Austin Theater, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, San Marcos Art League, Katy Art Reach, and the Richardson Symphony.
The NEA has also awarded 20 Research Grants in the Arts in support of a variety of arts-related studies, many of which investigate how to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the arts. Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, a Hispanic-serving institution, has received $50,000 to conduct research and create a geographic mapping tool that will provide recommendations about integrating DEIA practices with creative economy strategies. Southern Methodist University received a $55,000 grant for a study that examines impacts of workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion on outcomes for organizations, board members, and employees in the arts, and Texas Woman’s University received $35,000 in funding to support a mixed-methods evaluation study of a dance intervention aimed at improving the social and emotional health of adolescents in detention.
Literature Fellowships for creative writing have been awarded to Rodney Gomez in McAllen and Bradley Trumpfheller and KB Brookins in Austin. These $25,000 awards are intended to allow writers to focus time on their craft and to fund research, travel, and career development. Additionally, Houston-based Samantha Schnee has received $15,000 to support the translation from Spanish to English of the novel Conspiracy of Romantics by Mexican author Carmen Boullosa.
To see the full list of awardees and learn more about NEA grants, visit the NEA’s website.
