Wisconsin arts groups receive $1.1 million in aid
The Wisconsin Arts Board announced one-time grants to 110 Wisconsin arts organizations Wednesday, providing a much-needed boost to groups whose futures are uncertain due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Arts Board distributed $466,000 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money from the National Endowment for the Arts. Regional arts support organization Arts Midwest contributed another $78,000.
In addition, the NEA offered a dozen grants — $50,000 each — directly to Wisconsin groups, for a total $1,114,000.
Five Milwaukee-area organizations won $50,000 grants: Lynden Sculpture Garden, the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Latino Arts Inc. and Milwaukee Film.
NEA chairman Mary Anne Carter said in a news release that she is “keenly aware that arts organizations across the country are hurting, struggling, and trying to survive.”
The NEA received applications requesting $157 million in assistance, but only $45 million was available.
For the arts groups that received NEA grants, the funding has supported staff and affirmed their mission.
Lynden Sculpture Garden collected $50,000 from the NEA, said Polly Morris, executive director. Lynden will use the money to move an existing employee — artist and community organizer Kim M Khaira — into full-time work, Morris said.
Khaira’s position will bolster Lynden’s connections to Black radical artists and the local refugee community, which Khaira holds close ties to. Morris said she hopes this will expand
Lynden’s reach after the pandemic and, more importantly, improve access for all community members.
“This is all part of our long-term project,” she said, “to try and put an infrastructure in place that supports the use of Lynden by diverse populations throughout our area.”
Jonathan Jackson, CEO of Milwaukee Film, said his organization has been unable to hold in-person programming since March.
Milwaukee Film, which runs the Milwaukee Film Festival and operates the Oriental Theatre, among other educational and community-building work, received a $50,000 NEA grant toward payroll and rent. Jackson said the group earlier accepted $410,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program, also via the CARES Act.
“Without this lifeline for our nonprofit, the pandemic really would have been disastrous,” Jackson said.
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Arts at Large, Danceworks, First Stage Milwaukee, Florentine Opera Company, Milwaukee Ballet Company, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Next Act Theatre and Skylight Music Theatre all received $8,000 grants. Several other groups received smaller awards.