Promotion of the Arts – Museums

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) operated the Promotion of the Arts—Museums program (CFDA 45.012) under which it distributed Project Grants to museums and related institutions; the most recent grant award under this program occurred on July 15, 1997, nearly three decades ago.

This program is no longer active. The NEA ceased awarding grants under this Assistance Listing after 1997. The portfolio shows a sharp decline in award frequency beginning in 1995, dropping from 23 awards in 1993 and 20 in 1994 to 11 in 1995, then only 1 in 1996 and 2 in 1997 before activity ceased entirely. Across the program's full history from 1991 to 1997, the NEA issued 59 Project Grants totaling $389 thousand in federal obligations—an average of less than $6,600 per award. Individual grant amounts ranged widely, from single-digit and double-digit dollar awards for conservation surveys, cataloguing, and internship support to larger project awards of $25,000 to $50,000 for traveling exhibitions.

The program funded museums in supporting exhibitions of contemporary and historical artists (including traveling exhibitions with catalogues and education programs), collection storage and care improvements, conservation treatment and surveys, art education initiatives for school students and teachers, graduate-level conservation training and internships, and documentation of museum collections through cataloguing and research. The National Endowment for the Arts was the sole funding agency for all 59 awards.

Representative recent awards include Project Grant 9744725058 ($50,000, May 1, 1997) supporting the exhibition "Multiple Visions, Multiple Voices" featuring commissioned works by contemporary artists; Project Grant 9644420170 ($0 obligated, April 1, 1996) supporting a traveling exhibition of American artist Lyonel Feininger with catalogue and education programs; and Project Grant 9544310234 ($659, July 1, 1995) supporting student stipends and related expenses for graduate students in a university art conservation program.

No grant opportunities are currently posted under this Assistance Listing. Organizations should not pursue funding under this program.