AAM received a letter today from Jennifer Dowley, Director of the NEA
Museum Program, alerting the field to a change in the deadline for
Special Exhibitions grant applications.  The NEA is preparing to make a
number of changes in its program guidelines as a result of the expected
Congressional budget cuts.  The Special Exhibition grants are the last
category to be reviewed with FY 1996 funds.  In order to review proposals
for this category under current guidelines, the Endowment is announcing
the following changes:

1.  The revised Special Exhibitions application deadline in now October
23, 1995.  It is imperative that all supporting materials be submitted by
that date in order to allow enough staff time in preparing the books that
will be sent to the panelists.

2.  Due to the decrease in funding and fewer staff members to process the
applications, the NEA will be able to accept only one application per
institution in this category.

3.  The endowment expects to schedule the panel meetings for December and
January, take these recommendations to the February Council, and to
notify applicants of the results in March 1996.  The revised start date
will be April 1, 1996 instead of July 1, 1996.

For a copy of *all* the changes in the Special Exhibitions program
guidelines, please call the program specialists, David Bancroft or Ben
Glenn, at 202/682-5442.

Kristi Walker
Issues Manager
AAM Government and Public Affairs
202/289-9125