WASHINGTON – Federal grants totaling $828,900 have been awarded to provide arts instruction to children, conserve cultural heritage and provide art projects to underserved communities throughout Maine, according to members of Maine’s congressional delegation.

The following organizations in Maine received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts:

. Maine Arts Commission received $596,400 to support ongoing general activities of arts promotion.

. Maine Arts Commission received $25,000 to support the Community Folklorist-in-Residence and the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program. The programs are designed to bring recognition to local artistic traditions and to honor and support the artists that continue to practice these traditions.

. Maine Acadian Heritage Council received $30,000 for an Acadian cultural heritage trail with an accompanying audio recording. The proposed trail will feature traditional artists, museums, family farms, community festival and historic sites.

. Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance in Old Town received $30,000 to support an apprenticeship program in an effort to save the ash and sweet-grass basketry tradition, the oldest art forms in Maine.

. Maine Fiberarts in Brunswick received $25,000 to support a statewide series of activities to educate and increase awareness of the medium.

. Figures of Speech Theatre in Freeport received $28,000 to support a teacher residency program for puppetry.

. Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts received $12,000 to support the Mud Mobile program, a statewide traveling ceramics program.

. Center for Cultural Exchange in Portland received $30,000 to support the position of community programs coordinator on the center’s staff.

. Cultural Resources Inc. received $20,000 to support a midcoast regional folklorist, the development of a traveling exhibit program and a retail outlet for local artists’ work.

. Center for Cultural Exchange in Portland received $22,500 to support a series of African-American artist residencies.

. LA Public Theatre Inc. in Auburn received $10,000 to support the Student Matinee program, Free Theatre program, and the Youth at Risk Internship program.