$759,500 Distributed to Support Hawaiʻi Arts and Culture

The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawaiʻi’s state government arts agency, distributed $759,500 to 41 Hawaiʻi arts and culture organizations and 20 individual arts and culture practitioners impacted by COVID-19.

These American Rescue Plan funds were provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and are designed to support the arts sector as it recovers from the devastating impact of COVID-19.

“We want to mahalo the support The Friends of Iolani Palace received from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. This past year and a half have been extremely tough on our organization. The funding we received through the ARP Recovery Grant has helped us to continue to move our organization forward during uncertain times.” Paula Akana, Executive Director, The Friends of the Iolani Palace

Nonprofit Organization ARP Grants

Each organization received $15,000. The recovery grants for organizations support salaried staff positions, fees for artists and contractual personnel, facilities expenses, costs associated with the health and safety supplies for staff and/or visitors and audiences (PPE & cleaning supplies) and select marketing and promotion costs.

Of the 41 organizations, 22 are located on Oʻahu, nine on Hawaiʻi Island, eight on Maui, and one each on Kauaʻi and Lanaʻi.

Below is a list of grantees on Maui County:

• Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum
• Ebb & Flow Arts
• Hana Arts
• Hui Noeau
• Hui O Wa’a Kaulua
• Kāhuli Leo Leʻa
• Maui Academy of Performing Arts
• Maui Dance Council

“The ARP Recover Grant from the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts has provided support for Kāhuli Leo Leʻa’s episodic series, Mele Huliāmahi, a program featuring live performances of mele as a nexus for education, and community building through aloha ʻāina.”

Individual ARP Grants

Individuals received $7,225 each. Recovery grants for individuals support artist stipend/fees to carry out specific projects and activities.

Funded projects include a theater project on the life of Prince Jonah Kūhiō by Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, a visual arts program elevating foster and biological ʻohana connections through art by Julie Matheis, and a documentary on preservationist/photographer Nancy Bannick by Robin Lung.

The release of these American Rescue Plan funds marks an important step in the economic recovery of the creative sector in Hawaiʻi.

“As a result of the awarded SFCA American Rescue Plan Recovery Grant, our organization was able to continue with programming and provide free community concerts and music education to Title 1 schools,” read a statement from the Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society.