Chorus America Awarded Art Works Grant from National Endowment for the Arts

Mike Rowan

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Chorus America, the advocacy, research, and leadership development organization serving the field of choral music, is honored to be the recipient of a $90,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support services, programs, and resources for the choral field. The grant is one of 996 NEA Art Works grants awarded to nonprofit organizations nationwide, announced today by NEA Chairman Jane Chu.

Chorus America will use the grant to provide services including an annual conference for chorus leaders; web and print publications; leadership development forums for conductors, board members, and managers; and expanded online learning opportunities. Special projects in 2016 include a conductor training symposium in partnership with the Atlanta Symphony and Chorus, marking the centenary of Robert Shaw; and the Intrinsic Impact Audience Project, which will continue to gather data on the impact of choral music on its audiences.

“These projects, from all over the nation, will make a difference in their communities,” said Chairman Chu. "We know from experience as well as through hard evidence that the arts matter and these projects will provide more opportunities for people to learn, create, and experience the value of the arts in so many different ways.”

“Supporting choral music is a powerful investment in our communities,” said Chorus America’s President & CEO Catherine Dehoney. “Singing in choruses is the single most popular way to participate in the performing arts in this country. Thanks to the consistent support of the NEA, Chorus America is proud to serve choruses of all types and sizes, providing important resources to strengthen them as vital organizations in their cities and neighborhoods.”

The NEA received 1,855 eligible applications for Art Works grants that were reviewed by a collective 237 panelists. The 996 recommended NEA grants total $27.7 million; support organizations in 48 states, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, and Guam; span 13 artistic disciplines and fields; and focus on the creation of work and presentation of both new and existing work, lifelong learning in the arts, and public engagement with the arts.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov. In addition, join the conversation on Twitter using #NEAFall15.