US Government "stimulus package for the arts, 2009"

The United States Congress recently announced Increased funding to the tune of $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the 2009 recession-bustiing stimulus package, plus eight other provisions to assist artists. The full package applying to the arts is summarised here - source is Robert Lynch from Americans for the Arts. Further details will be forthcoming as the funding is taken up by organisations. 

• $50m in additional appropriations for the National Endowment for the Arts;

• $130m for the US Department of Agriculture for rural community facilities, including cultural facilities;

• $160m for the Corporation for National and Community Service where an innovative "Artists Corps" could be initiated;

• $150m for the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, which could support grants to enhance cultural district planning and the creative economy;

• A portion of the $589m in funding for the National Park Service to preserve, repair and rehabilitate will support workers in the trades and with skills in the arts;

• $1bn for federal Community Development Block Grants, which provide "bricks and mortar" funding for state and local projects including some in the arts;

• $3.9bn for the Labour Department's worker training and employment services, including the creative sector;

• Extending access to unemployment insurance and healthcare benefits, which are important to artists in non-traditional careers.

Relevant web links: http://www.nea.gov/    http://www.artsusa.org/