PRESS RELEASE
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced federal grants provided through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) totaling $136,500 for the Western New York art and cultural community.
“The Buffalo-Niagara region is fortunate and proud to have an abundance of organizations that so richly contribute to our economy and social fabric through a wide variety of creative arts offerings,” said Congressman Higgins. “Funding though the National Endowment for the Arts drives cultural tourism and enriches the lives of those in our community and others across the country.”
Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center will receive $22,500 to support their Workspace Artist Residency program. A grant totaling $59,000 for CEPA Gallery will support a series of photography workshops for veterans through a partnership with the Veterans One-Stop Center of WNY. Hallwalls has been awarded $25,000 for an artist residency program, which will include collaboration between musicians/composers, workshops, exhibitions and public performances. Just Buffalo Literary Center’s grant totaling $30,000 will help maintain a variety of literary programming including Babel, a reading series showcasing internationally acclaimed authors.
Since 2000, Western New York organizations have been awarded over $3.7 million in NEA funding. President Trump’s proposed 2018 budget called for complete elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. Congressman Higgins and others in Congress fought for and passed a budget that restored NEA funding.
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the largest national funder of the arts in the United States. On average, every dollar in NEA funding leverages another nine dollars in arts funding from other sources.
