The Delaware Division of the Arts awarded $2.9 million in grants for Fiscal Year 2014 to support 109 arts initiatives throughout the state, with state officials citing the economic impact of the arts community.
Twenty-three communities across Delaware will receive grants to support arts programming and services, arts education, and related arts marketing and promotion.
The creation of a new Delaware Arts Trust Fund this year recognizes the importance of the arts as an economic driver, and brings Delaware’s public sector support for the arts closer to the national average of eight percent of the revenue for nonprofit arts organizations.
“The state’s investment in the arts makes good business sense because the industry plays a critical role in Delaware’s economy,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “As one of the state’s top ten employers, we know that Delaware’s nonprofit arts sector generates more than $142 million annually in economic activity in the state and supports nearly 3,900 full-time equivalent jobs.”
The grants support a variety of projects and programs, from storytelling for preschool reading readiness, to professional performances in dance, theater, and music. Delaware museums and art leagues in large and small communities alike receive support for internationally recognized collections as well as local artists and artisans.
Funding for the Division of the Arts to support arts programming in Delaware comes from the Delaware General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Click here for a complete listing of Fiscal Year 2014 grants.
