U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today announced that three Maine cultural institutions received more than $700,000 in grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“We are delighted that the National Endowment for the Humanities has recognized these vital institutions that showcase Maine’s history and culture,” Senators Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement. “These funds will promote the value of learning and creativity within the community by supporting worthy artistic endeavors in the state of Maine.”
The funds, totaling $773,591, are distributed as follows:
? $197,582 to the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath- The funding will be used for the stabilization of the watercraft collection and construction of visible storage for 117 historic Maine boats.
? $110,000 to the American Musicological Society in Brunswick- The grant will be used for the project entitled “Music of the United States of America (MUSA): A National Series.” This grant will specifically fund the preparation for publication of volumes 19-24 and continued editorial work on four other volumes.
? $466,009 to the University of Southern Maine in Portland- These funds will be used to acquire storage equipment for Cartographic Collections at the Osher Map Library. These storage systems will allow for the storing of 100,000 rare and semi-rare maps, atlases, globes, and explorers’ accounts dating from 1475 to 1950.
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency that supports cultural initiatives throughout the country by providing grants to improve classroom learning, museum exhibitions, and programs in libraries and other community institutions.