Neighborhood Studios to Receive $100K Grant from NEA

BRIDGEPORT, CT - Neighborhood Studios is pleased to announce they have been approved to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. Neighborhood Studios is recommended to receive $100,000 and may use this funding to save jobs and to fund operations and facilities, health and safety supplies, and marketing and promotional efforts to encourage attendance and participation. In total, the NEA will award grants totaling $57,750,000 to 567 arts organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC.

“Our nation’s arts sector has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Endowment for the Arts’ American Rescue Plan funding will help arts organizations, such as NEIGHBORHOOD STUDIOS, rebuild and reopen,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the NEA. “The arts are crucial in helping America’s communities heal, unite, and inspire, as well as essential to our nation’s economic recovery.”  

Neighborhood Studios’ Executive Director Frank Derico said, “Our founder realized that the arts belonged to everyone regardless of ability or background. Her dream of providing music lessons to blind children grew to include children with any disability, those that are at risk, and those children and families who might not otherwise be able to participate. We are so appreciative to the NEA for supporting this vision." 

“Neighborhood Studios is thrilled to receive this grant in support of Bridgeport children’s opportunity to experience the benefits of individual music lessons at no cost,” said Rita Appel, Chair of the Board of Directors.

Neighborhood Studios will specifically be using their grant to further their mission to transform the lives of Bridgeport children through arts education and empower them to make a difference in their community. Further, one of their goals for 2022 is to increase awareness of their organization to be able to reach more students, families, and possible donors. Neighborhood Studios believes art education enhances cognitive and social development in children, thereby increasing their chances for success in all areas of learning.  

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. The funding for organizations is the third installment providing more than $57.7 million for arts organizations. In April 2021, the NEA announced $52 million (40 percent) in ARP funding would be allocated to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations for regranting through their respective programs. The second installment in November 2021 allocated $20.2 million to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to local artists and art organizations.

For more information on Neighborhood Studios visit Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County - Home (nstudios.org)

For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of arts organizations funded in this announcement, visit www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.