LEF Foundation narrows funding focus

On Wednesday, the LEF Foundation announced major shifts in its New England arts funding. It’s “Contemporary Work Fund,” which has supported local visual art, new media art, dance, music, theater, performance, and museums, will fund only visual art and new media during the 2008-2009 fiscal year, and then the program will be eliminated. It’s "Moving Image Fund" will continue, but will now only support independent documentary films and videos.

Executive director Lyda Kuth writes: “As many of you may know, LEF has taken a year to step back and evaluate its relationship with the New England arts community, its grant investments, and future direction. As a result, in its next stage of grant making LEF plans to make fewer, larger, and longer term investments in a focused group of artists.” Read her entire statement here.