Space, the arts nonprofit in downtown Portland, will redistribute $250,000 that it received from the American Rescue Plan to art projects across Maine. Space is among 66 local arts agencies nationally to receive American Rescue Plan money from the National Endowment for the Arts to help communities through the pandemic.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, SPACE has been a crucial support to the arts community in Maine; they stepped up to raise and distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in emergency relief grants to artists throughout the state. I’m so glad their effective work is recognized and supplemented by this much-needed funding,” U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, said in a press release announcing the news.

Space has distributed $284,500 to Maine artists during the pandemic and more than $435,000 over seven years of grantmaking with the Kindling Fund, a regional regranting partner of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Space will announce guidelines and deadlines for the American Rescue Fund money in January and February.

In a statement, Space Executive Director Kelsey Halliday Johnson said the grant-making opportunities offer “myriad opportunities,” and, noting that 2022 is the organization’s 20th anniversary, “we are excited to begin this milestone year with the privilege of committing more funds than ever to support artist projects throughout the state of Maine. And we are thrilled to have new and brilliant local and national leaders helping us chart the course for what’s ahead.”

In addition to the news about the American Rescue Plan money, Space also announced that three people have joined its board: artist Rachel Gloria Adams, Creative Time executive director Justine Ludwig, and Pablo Anaya, director of operations and Associate Director of Development for the ACLU of Maine.