Foundational Grant Supports the Performing Arts in New England

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) announces 126 grants totaling $410,357 to support artistic engagements at 55 cultural organizations across the six New England states through NEFA’s New England States Touring program.

The nearly 50-year-old New England States Touring (NEST) program funds performances, readings, and screenings of works by New England, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations. The goals of NEST are to:

• Expand direct access to high quality artists and aesthetic diversity for all New England communities by artists from New England, the nation, and across the globe.
• Foster opportunities for collaboration and partnerships among New England cultural organizations and between artists and organizations. 
• Encourage meaningful interaction between artists and communities, extending beyond the stage.

“The work of regional touring is at the very core of NEFA as a Regional Arts Organization. We’ve seen how this grant enables organizations of all sizes – from universities to libraries to rural independent theaters – to bring arts to their communities,” said NEFA’s senior program director, regional grants and international exchange, Adrienne Petrillo. “The program model offers multiple entry points, making it accessible to a wide range of organizations. NEST also encourages collaboration among presenting organizations to build tours that leverage resources and build a robust ecosystem for touring in New England, further adding value to the grant.”

Grant recipients are from all six New England states and represent both rural and urban communities. Some examples of NEST-funded engagements include:

• Burlington Taiko at the West Claremont Center for Music and the Arts, Claremont, NH
• Crocodile River Music at BarnArts, Barnard, VT
• Jean Appolon Expressions at The Yard, Chilmark, MA
• The Red Trouser Show at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Haven, CT
• Sun Ra Arkestra at the Waldo Theater, Waldoboro, ME
• Tanglewood Marionettes at Mayo Street Arts, Portland, ME 

View the full list of FY24 NEST recipients

The NEST program offers three categories of grants to best serve the varying needs of the field:

• NEST 1 supports one organization presenting an artist from a different New England state. 
• NEST 2 supports two organizations from different states to present an artist based in one of the presenter’s states. 
• NEST 3 supports a minimum of three organizations from at least two different states who may apply to present New England, national, or international artists.

Grant deadlines are three times a year for NEST 1 and 2 (the first business day in August, December, and March) and once per year for NEST 3 (first business day in March). 

New England artists eligible for NEST grants must have a profile CreativeGround, NEFA’s free regional arts and culture directory, that meets the NEST Artist Requirements.

In addition to grants, the program hosts the Idea Swap, an annual event for the region’s cultural organizations and touring artists to network and share ideas for touring projects and potential for NEFA grant support. The 2024 Idea Swap will take place on November 12 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA; registration opens in September. 

The New England States Touring program is made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

About NEFA

The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation.  NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.org.

CONTACT: Ann Wicks | 617-423-1390