DAMASCUS, PA — Farm Arts Collective is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Challenge America award of $10,000. This grant will support DREAM ON THE FARM, play #5 in a decade-long climate change performance project presented at the collective’s home base, Willow Wisp Organic Farm in Damsacus, PA.

In total, the NEA will award 257 Challenge America awards across the country totaling $2,570,000 for its first round of fiscal year 2024 grants. 

“The NEA is delighted to announce this grant to Farm Arts Collective which is helping contribute to the strength and well-being of the arts sector and local community,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “We are pleased to be able to support this community and help create an environment where all people have the opportunity to live artful lives.”  

Tannis Kowalchuk, Farm Arts Collective founding artistic director says, “We are honored and very happy to receive support once again from the NEA. Receiving a government award carries with it a civic responsibility that we take very seriously-- to serve our community with engaging programs that bridge farming, art, food and ecology. We look forward to providing agri-culture and innovation in our rural community.”

Farm Arts Collective’s award will support artist fees and production costs for the 2024 DREAM ON THE FARM production (play #5 in a 10-play series). The 2024 performance entitled Conference for Those Still Living will be a site--specific performance collectively created by the Farm Arts Collective ensemble, and directed by Tannis Kowalchuk. The new work will explore themes of climate change and environmentalism and will be presented  on Willow Wisp Organic Farm August 8-11 and August 15-18.

For more information about Farm Arts Collective visit https://www.farmartscollective.org/

For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.