WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall today announced that several arts organizations in New Mexico will receive a total of $40,000 in matching grants to support the creation and presentation of artistically excellent works to the public. These grants are funded through the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the Challenge America Fast-Track grant program.
"The arts and humanities are not only engrained in our state's culture, they are also a central driver of our economy and primary source of income for many families," Udall said, a member of the Senate Cultural Caucus. "These matching grants will enrich New Mexicans' lives by extending access to traditionally underserved populations."
The National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Fast-Track grants are awarded to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations. This round of awards includes 170 grants to organizations in 42 states. These grants generate, on average, $7 from non-federal sources for each dollar awarded.
A complete list of projects is included below:
$10,000 to Sawmill Community Land Trust in Albuquerque to support the Carneul Road Parade and Fiesta, featuring a performance by the theater company Wise Fool New Mexico
$10,000 to Mimbres Region Arts Council, Inc., in Silver City to support the Youth Mural Program, through which youth are paired with professional artists to create murals expressing the culture and history of the Grant County region
$10,000 to New Mexico Literary Arts in Santa Fe to support the Alzheimer's Poetry Project
$10,000 to Taos Center for the Arts to support the Youth Mosaic and Mural Project under the direction of artists George Chacon and Katie Woodall
Two weeks ago, Udall announced $232,500 in similar arts grants for New Mexico organizations.
