National Endowment for the Arts awards Georgia Southern grant for Performing Arts Center

The Georgia Southern University Research and Service Foundation received an $18,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in honor of “Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Birthday with Music from U.S. Military Bands.”

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is an independent federal agency and the largest funder of arts and art education across the country. In honor of the long legacy of military bands over 25 decades, the agency recognized Georgia Southern’s Performing Arts Center for consistently including and promoting military bands, which have a longstanding history of participating in some of the nation’s most historic events. To expand the concert’s reach to even more community members, the NEA grant helped purchase advanced streaming technology.

PAC Director Daniel Brown recognized the community’s interest in military band shows and sought to carry the tradition into 2026. 

“To apply for this specific grant was a privilege,” Brown said. “For me, this grant was all about providing program accessibility, celebrating our country and uplifting our community. Many of our patrons are senior citizens who, for various reasons, have expressed the inability to participate in our evening programming here at the PAC.”

In fall 2024, the PAC hosted the United States Air Force’s Band of the West, which performed for a full house, selling out the auditorium. Additionally, the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus were scheduled to perform in fall 2025 to a sold-out audience as well, but the show was unable to proceed due to a government shutdown.

In October 2026, the U.S. “President’s Own” Marine Corps Band joined community members at the PAC as part of its National Concert Tour, entertaining a sold-out audience with traditional band arrangements, Sousa marches, contemporary works, vocal and instrumental solos and a salute to the Armed Forces. 

For Brown, this is another way in which the University can honor the service members living throughout the communities served by Georgia Southern.

“Among our area seniors, a significant number of them are veterans as well,” Brown explained. “We wanted them to have the opportunity to view these live performances that celebrate our military and our country to not only remind these vital members of our community that we value their presence, but to also thank them for their contributions and services.”

Brown stated that the NEA funding will allow the PAC to continue reaching wider audiences when military bands join us through the University’s annual programming. 

“As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support projects that celebrate the enduring legacy of U.S. military bands,” NEA Chairman Mary Anne Carter said. “These awards recognize the vital role military bands have played throughout American history – from the nation’s earliest days to the present – as powerful symbols of national identity, bringing music to public life and honoring service through a wide range of musical styles and traditions.”