Who We Are

The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a nonprofit organization that provides leadership and resources that benefit artists, the public, arts funders, and policymakers throughout New England and beyond.

NEFA was established in 1976 as one of six regional arts organizations designed to cultivate the arts regionally and strengthen the national arts infrastructure. NEFA works with the National Endowment for the Arts, the state arts agencies in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and a host of private and public funding partners to identify opportunities for cultural advancement.

NEFA believes deeply in the power of the arts to educate, excite, inspire, and connect people of all backgrounds and ages. From school touring programs and artists’ conventions to public art and research initiatives, NEFA works creatively and collaboratively to support the arts and advocate for the economic and cultural value of the creative sector.