KCETLink Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant to Support Transmedia Arts and Culture Journalism Series, Artbound
Grant one of 817 NEA Art Works grantstotaling $26.3 million in funding nationwide
Burbank, CA -- April 26, 2013 - National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that KCETLink is one of 817 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. KCETLink is recommended for a $75,000 grant to support the station's award-winning transmedia arts and culture journalism series, Artbound.
Artbound, which is composed of short documentaries voted upon by readers from popular articles on the website, features innovative artists and culture creators in diverse artistic practices throughout Southern California. With more than 40 contributors, across 11 counties in the region, Artbound contributors are invested in their communities, diving deeply into stories that are often underrepresented in other media outlets.
Since its launch in May 2012, Artbound has seen significant growth in its online voting feature. Each week, articles with the most votes are produced into weekly videos that will air in the television series. Artbound marks the first time in KCET history that viewers are able to curate the content they watch. Episodes of Artbound Season 2 have begun airing on KCET. Upcoming airdates include: May 2, May 30, June 27, July 25 and August 22 at 9 p.m.
Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, "The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable opportunities for the public to engage with the arts."
Juan Devis, Executive Producer of the series and Vice President of Arts and Culture Programming, KCETLink, added, "We're very honored to be chosen among so many other extraordinary projects. This grant will allow Artbound to continue to explore and showcase some of the most creative and imaginative voices in Southern California."
In August 2012, the NEA received 1,547 eligible applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding. Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields. Applications were reviewed by panels of outside experts convened by NEA staff and each project was judged on its artistic excellence and artistic merit.
For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.
About KCETLink
KCETLink is the new national independent public transmedia organization formed by the merger between KCET and Link Media. A viewer-supported 501(c)(3) organization, its content is distributed nationally via satellite on DirecTV and DISH, in Southern and Central California via broadcast, as well as through various digital delivery systems. KCET and Link TV are services of KCETLink. For additional information about KCETLink productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org or linktv.org.
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