Michigan Opera Theatre Receives $50,000 in CARES Funding Through NEA

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded Michigan Opera Theatre (MOT) a $50,000 grant to support artists costs during this time of closing due to the spread of COVID-19. The grant, directed at nonprofit arts organizations, is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will support contracting ensembles of MOT's Studio Artists, orchestra musicians and vocalists.

"Artists and arts organizations across the country are struggling with the loss of revenue due to performance cancellations. Through this grant, the federal government has affirmed its commitment to the arts sector in our community. We are appreciative for the recognition and support that will be available to our performers," said MOT President and CEO Wayne S. Brown. "The health and safety of our patrons, artists and staff remain our top priority, and we look forward to when we can safely re-convene at the Detroit Opera House."

MOT is one of 855 organizations across the country - and one of 23 in the state of Michigan - to receive the grant, amounting to a total of $44.5 million in nonmatching funds to support staff salaries, fees for artists or contractual personnel and facilities costs.

"All of us at the National Endowment for the Arts are keenly aware that arts organizations across the country are hurting, struggling, and trying to survive and that our supply of funding does not come close to meeting the demand for assistance," said Arts Endowment Chairman Mary Anne Carter. "That said, I am enormously proud of the over-and-above efforts of the Arts Endowment staff to swiftly and professionally manage such a large amount of additional work in a relatively short period of time on behalf of the American public."

For more information visit https://www.arts.gov/news/2020/national-endowment-arts-approves-arts-organizations-cares-act-funding.

This is the second significant grant MOT has received in recent weeks. Last month, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded MOT $175,000 to sustain its MOT at Home digital programming campaign, which uses MOT's social media channels to provide daily opera and dance content through the community, including performances, blogs, podcasts, interviews and more. The posts are also available on the MOT at Home website and distributed through weekly emails. The combined grants represent a total of $225,000 in funding secured for MOT from government sources.

In accordance with social distancing guidelines, MOT recently announced its upcoming season would feature non-traditional performances, including alternate performance settings, small-scale productions and limited capacity, socially-distanced seating at the Detroit Opera House.