Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced $150,000 in National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) grants for nine Maine arts projects in the First Congressional District. 

“I’m thrilled the National Endowment for the Arts is once again investing in Maine’s vibrant creative economy,” said Congresswoman Pingree, co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus and Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, which oversees funding for the NEA. “From the performing arts to youth writing programs, these federal grants will go a long way to support Maine artists, which why I have long fought to increase this funding as chair of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.”

Salt Bay Chamberfest—$15,000
To support the annual Salt Bay Chamberfest.

Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts—$35,000
To support a mentor and mentee artist residency program.

Alyssa Dinega Gillespie—$10,000 
To support the translation from the Russian of selected poetry by Marina Tsvetaeva.

Palaver Strings Inc.—$20,000
To support a music and storytelling performance.

Portland Stage Company, Inc.—$10,000
To support the world premiere production of "The Last Ship to Proxima Centauri" by Greg Lam.

Points North Institute (aka Camden International Film Festival (CIFF))—$20,000
To support the Camden International Film Festival and associated public programming.

Maine Fiberarts—$20,000
To support an exhibition and archival research project documenting the history of fiber arts in Maine.

Seal Bay Festival—$10,000
To support the Seal Bay Festival, an annual summer chamber music festival.

240 Strings—$10,000
To support music education programming for students and related activities.

These awards are among the 1,498 grants totaling nearly $33.2 million the NEA is awarding in the first round of funding for fiscal year 2022. Grants for Arts Projects funding spans 15 artistic disciplines and reaches communities in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

The NEA is also providing separate grants through the American Rescue Plan which provide funding to the arts sector for rebuilding and recovery due to COVID-19. Funding to regional, state, and local arts agencies was announced last year. The next round of ARP funding for arts organizations will be announced later in January 2022.