On January 11, 2022, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced their first round of recommended awards for fiscal year 2022, with 1,498 awards totaling nearly $33.2 million. Among this round’s recipients are 14 from Arizona!

“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,” said NEA Acting Chair Ann Eilers. “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.”

The NEA is committed to equity, access, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Applications for funding demonstrated a commitment by the arts and culture sector to provide more equitable and accessible pathways for arts engagement.

Grants for Arts Projects

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) awards reach communities in all parts of the country, large and small, and with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. There are 1,248 organizations recommended to receive cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for a total of $28,840,000. These awards represent 15 artistic disciplines/fields: Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater, and Visual Arts. Applications were received in February 2021 from 1,879 eligible organizations requesting more than $92 million in support.

Act One
$15,000
Phoenix, AZ

Arizona State University
$30,000
Tempe, AZ

Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation
$20,000
Tucson, AZ

Loft Cinema, Inc. (aka The Loft)
$20,000
Tucson, AZ

Phoenix Conservatory of Music
$15,000
Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix Theatre, Inc.
$10,000
Phoenix, AZ

Scottsdale Arts
$25,000
Scottsdale, AZ

Southwest Folklife Alliance
$35,000
Tucson, AZ

Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block
$25,000
Tucson, AZ

University of Arizona (on behalf of Arizona State Museum)
$40,000
Tucson, AZ

Challenge America

Challenge America grants offer support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to populations that have limited access to the arts due to geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. There are 168 organizations recommended in this funding category for a total of $1,680,000. Each grant is for $10,000 and requires a minimum $10,000 cost share/match. A few examples of Challenge America funding from this round include

City of Litchfield Park
$10,000
Litchfield Park, AZ

Kids in Focus
$10,000
Phoenix, AZ

Red Rocks Music Festival
$10,000
Phoenix, AZ

SOUNDS Academy
$10,000
Phoenix, AZ


Photo by JesseJ.Media, courtesy of The Loft.