A Black woman sings into a microphone next to a guitarist. They're outside and in front of kids with chaperones.
Above:

Public Art for Spatial Justice-supported Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy - Going to Ground: ToriTori leads music and storytime for kids at the opening celebration and picnic | photo courtesy of the conservancy

Supporting a thriving, creative future

NEFA invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation.

Our Vision and Values

Grantmaking for art making. What will you create?

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Upcoming Grant Application Deadlines

NEFA offers grants to artists and organizations to support the creation and presentation of work. These are the grants with upcoming deadlines.

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New England States Touring (NEST) Grant

August 1, 2025
Funds nonprofit organizations to present touring artists in venues across New England.
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What's happening

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"A collective statement on the National Endowment for the Arts" over orange.

A Collective Regional Arts Organizations Statement on the NEA

This letter can also be found on the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations website, USRegionalArts.org. Dear valued member of our community, On Friday, many active and pending grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) were abruptly terminated. This comes alongside the president’s proposal to
Contemporary Queer flier - with roses coming out of an envelope.
Professional Development

May 2025 Jobs & Opportunities

Here are opportunities for this month; check them out and pass them along to your colleagues. Email us if you know of any professional development opportunities, calls to artists, or cultural events that we should consider. The format for these listings is: " deadline/date of event | location of
A hand touches one of two wooden heart shaped frames with red woven through the middle.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility

Organizations Across New England Receive Cultural Sustainability Awards

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts announces $1,100,000 in funding for the 18 recipients of the Cultural Sustainability grant. Cultural Sustainability provides general operating support to arts organizations of color with annual operating expenses under $500,000. This funding will
In the woods, a line of folks carry a string/stick together.
Advocacy
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility

A Call to Collective Action—We Must Act Now

This essay is part of a new series, From New England to the Nation , in which NEFA’s Executive Director, Harold Steward, discusses the role of the arts in our present political moment. Read the first essay on Medium. The current administration's most recent actions, including stripping equity
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Fostering regional, national, and international connections

CreativeGround

CreativeGround spotlights the creative people and places at work in New England: cultural nonprofits like libraries and theaters, creative businesses like recording studios and design agencies, and artists of all disciplines such as performing arts, visual arts, and crafts.

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Center Stage

Center Stage is among the most successful programs to bring contemporary international performing artists into direct contact with people across a wide range of U.S. communities, and to share these experiences globally.

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