NEFA has been a significant cultural force since 1976, when it was created
as one of six regional arts agencies
nationwide, funded primarily through the National
Endowment for the Arts and New England state arts agencies.
Today's NEFA has evolved considerably from the original regional model,
and now operates with an annual budget of $5 million to develop and manage
arts initiatives on local, regional, national and international levels.
Through extensive funding, advocacy, and networking efforts, NEFA promotes
the creation and distribution of the full range of artistic expression.
NEFA functions as a grantmaker, program initiator, regional laboratory,
project coordinator, developer of resources, and builder of creative partnerships
among artists, arts organizations and funders. Each program and project
that is brought to life at NEFA is created with the underlying goal of
building a stronger and more dynamic infrastructure for the arts. NEFA
celebrates New England and its characteristic values while playing a national
role by distributing model programs, supporting international cultural
exchange, and advocating access to the arts for everyone.
Activities in NEFA's Creation & Distribution arm
exist to foster opportunity, excellence and accessibility for artists,
arts organizations,
and audiences. All of our commissioning and touring grant programs fall
under Creation & Distribution.
Projects and initiatives in the Research & Learning sector of NEFA
help to build the intellectual assets of the New England cultural community
in order to inform cultural decision-making and program development and
to develop public understanding of how the arts contribute to the vitality
of communities. All research, data-gathering and documentation activities
at NEFA fall under Research & Learning.
