Arts groups invited to apply for stimulus grants

Arts organizations across Missouri may now apply for federal economic stimulus funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The National Endowment for the Arts will be allocating the stimulus money to the Missouri Arts Council and Mid-America Arts Alliance, which will distribute the funds through the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City later this year, according to a MAC news release.

Grants available through the MAC, a division of the state Department of Economic Development, are intended to retain arts jobs that have been threatened or eliminated during the recession. Eligible arts organizations are those that have received at least one MAC grant in fiscal 2008 and/or fiscal 2009 and identify the arts as their primary purpose. Qualified organizations may apply using MAC's Arts Transform Missouri online application form, but should review individual application guidelines and eligibility criteria.

"We will be thrilled to distribute these funds and know that the arts organizations will benefit greatly from them," Beverly Strohmeyer, executive director of the Missouri Arts Council, said in the release. "It will be exciting to work with the Regional Arts Commission and The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City to coordinate the grant application process and expedite the funds to arts organizations."

Grants may be used for full or partial salary support of one or more positions critical to an organization's artistic mission, but those positions must be in jeopardy or already eliminated as a result of weak economic conditions, according to the release. Funds may also be used to pay fees for previously engaged artists and/or contractual personnel.

Grant applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. on June 15. Applications received after this date may only be considered by The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City and the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. For more information, visit the link below.