KANSAS CITY, MO.- The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City announced today grant awards of $243,500 to 16 arts organizations to support the preservation of jobs threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support due to the current economic downturn. The Arts Council was one of only 19 local arts agencies nationwide to receive funds for regranting for salary support from the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

“We are grateful for the opportunity to support these organizations that continue to provide arts education services and other vital programs to the community despite the economic challenges facing us all,” said Arts Council President and CEO Harlan Brownlee . “The effect of this funding impacts our community on multiple levels. The funds are an investment back into the local economy. Arts organizations receiving these funds will use them to pay the salaries of employees, who in turn support our local economy as members of the community.”

Including the grants announced by the Arts Council today, a total of 22 KC metro arts organizations have been awarded $386,450 in ARRA funds from four different agencies. In addition to the Arts Council grants, the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre were awarded $50,000 each directly from the National Endowment for the Arts. State arts agencies in both Kansas and Missouri also made local ARRA grants. The Missouri Arts Council has awarded ARRA funding to Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and Octarium, and the Kansas Arts Commission has funded the Kansas City Performing Music and Arts Association.

The funds will be paid out quarterly over the course of the next year, providing an on-going economic benefit through the summer of 2010. “One of the goals of this program was to get the funding into the community as quickly as possible,” commented Paul Tyler , Grants Director for the Arts Council. “We received official notification of this award from the NEA in early July and are thrilled to be announcing these grants less than a month later.”

ARRA Grant Recipients from the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City

Accessible Arts — $10,000
American Jazz Museum — $20,000
Arts Incubator — $20,000
City in Motion Dance Theatre — $11,500
Coterie Theatre — $10,000
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival — $20,000
Kansas City Artists Coalition — $20,000
Kansas City Young Audiences — $15,000
Mattie Rhodes Center — $20,000
Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre — $15,000
Owen/Cox Dance Group — $12,000
Paul Mesner Puppets — $15,000
Theatre for Young Audiences — $10,000
Unicorn Theatre — $20,000
Wonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City — $10,000
Wylliams/Henry Dance Theatre — $15,000