National Endowment for the Arts Awards New Round of Grants Celebrating America’s Birthday

Washington, DC-The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce it is awarding more than $16 million in funding to nonprofit organizations across the United States as part of its first round grantmaking in FY 2026.

"The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support opportunities across the country for Americans to experience and participate in the arts while celebrating our nation's history," said NEA's Mary Anne Carter. "As we approach our country's 250th anniversary, this is a moment to recognize the important role the arts continue to play in our lives, communities, and heritage."

Among the FY 2026 grants awarded to date are:

• A grant of $30,000 to Boise Art Museum Incorporated in Boise, Idaho, to support artmaking workshops for older adults, as part of America250. Participants will study historical and contemporary American artworks from the museum's permanent collection and create original works that will be featured in a virtual exhibition, fostering connection, creativity, and engagement with American artistic heritage.
• A grant of $18,000 to Cedar Summerstock Theatre in Saint Ansgar, Iowa, will support multiple musical theater productions highlighting different stories and characters from different eras throughout American history, alongside panel discussions, lectures, and an interactive lobby display that will reflect on and examine the historical and social context of American storytelling through musical theater.
• A grant of $30,000 to The Myrna Loy in Helena, Montana, to support a multidisciplinary series of musical performances, film screenings, and community events celebrating Montana's rich cultural heritage and America250. The performances will be accompanied by artist residencies and workshops.

These grant applications were recommended for funding at the October 2025 meeting of the National Council on the Arts (NCA) and are focused on projects honoring the nation's semiquincentennial in 2026. The NEA's council will consider a broader portfolio of the applications submitted in March 2025 at a meeting today, January 8, 2026. Applications submitted in July 2025 will be considered at a council meeting in the Spring.

The FY 2026 grants will appear on a rolling basis in the NEA's Grant Search as they are awarded. Earlier this month, the NEA released its FY 2027 Grants for Arts Projects guidelines, with deadlines in February and July 2026.