WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President George W. Bush has signed an omnibusappropriations bill for FY 2008 that includes $144.7 million for theNational Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This represents an increase of $20.1million over the 2007 funding level of $124.562 million.
It is the largest dollar increase in the NEA appropriation since 1979 andwill allow the agency to devote more funds to direct grants to artsorganizations and to extend the reach of the agency's National Initiativesthat support touring and arts education in theater, music, dance,literature, and the visual arts. The highest level of the NEA'sappropriation was $175.9 million in FY 1992. The new appropriation raisesthe NEA to its highest level in 13 years.
NEA Chairman Dana Gioia said, "The strong bipartisan support of Congressand the Administration for the NEA demonstrates the value of the agency'sprograms. This budget will afford us even greater opportunities to bringexcellent art and arts education to all Americans through direct grants,which now extend to every community, and through our National Initiativessuch as 'American Masterpieces,' 'The Big Read,' 'Poetry Out Loud,' and'Shakespeare in American Communities.' The National Initiatives have reachedmore than 20 million students throughout the country. More theatre, moremusic, more dance, more literature, more visual arts, and more artseducation will now be available to more Americans."
For more details, go to www.nea.gov/news/news07/Budget2008.html
