History Lesson: The NEA & Opera

Art Works: While the NEA Opera Honors is only a few years old, the Arts Endowment actually has a long history of supporting the art form. Beginning in 1967—the second year the agency awarded grants—we gave a $150,000 grant to the Metropolitan Opera National Company, a satellite of the Metropolitan Opera. Since then we’ve awarded nearly 4,500 grants to opera companies, artists, and organizations, totaling more than $167 million. Our support has benefitted everything from young artists’ programs to broadcasts of television and radio programs, such as NPR’s World of Opera, to touring initiatives, such as the NEA’s Great American Voices, which presented free opera performances at military bases nationwide. The catalytic effect of this support is reflected in the growth of opera companies, from 46 companies in 1965 to 129 companies in 2005.