American String Teachers Association to Receive $50,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the American Rescue Plan

Washington, D.C. (February 2, 2022) — The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) is pleased to announce it has been approved to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. ASTA is recommended to receive $50,000 and is one of 567 arts organizations in the United States to receive a grant award.

“Our nation’s arts sector has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Endowment for the Arts’ American Rescue Plan funding will help arts organizations, such as the American String Teachers Association, rebuild and reopen,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the NEA. “The arts are crucial in helping America’s communities heal, unite, and inspire, as well as essential to our nation’s economic recovery.”

ASTA will use the $50,000 grant (paid in two $25,000 installments over two years) to partially fund and reinstate one of the staff positions left vacant due to the pandemic. This position will focus on professional development offerings and resources for its members.

“We are so thankful for the National Endowment for the Arts American Rescue Plan grant to hire new staff,” said ASTA President Kristen Pellegrino. “During COVID, ASTA was fiscally conservative and decided not to rehire as staff members retired or found new positions. This helped us weather the financial storm but left us short-handed. Now, under the direction of our new CEO Lynn Tuttle, we are reimagining how our staff can function and our organization can thrive as we bring on new staff in roles that will help address member needs well into the future.”

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of arts organizations to receive funding, visit www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.

About ASTA
Founded in 1946, the American String Teachers Association is a nonprofit 501(c)3 membership organization for string and orchestra teachers and players that aims to help them develop and refine their careers. With a vision of enriching lives through universal access to fine string playing and teaching, ASTA serves 7,000 members who range from budding student teachers to artist-status performers. ASTA’s mission is to provide professional development, career building and support, and a community of peers for all teachers of stringed instruments. For more information, visit astastrings.org.

Press Contact
Susan Simolunas, Communications Manager, ssimolunas@astastrings.org, 703-279-2113