Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force

Senator Schumer said he had been unaware that the amendment ruled out money for museums and theaters.

(In the final language approved on Friday, casinos and golf courses remain ineligible for stimulus funds, as are zoos, aquariums and swimming pools.)

The extra $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts is a significant boost for the agency, whose annual budget, without the additional money, was $145 million. The bill calls for 40 percent of the new money to be distributed by formula to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations. The remaining 60 percent will be set aside for individual arts projects competing for Endowment grants.