The latest round of 2002 grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, announced today, will award 30 grants totaling $1.25 million to Washington arts and heritage groups.

A comparison with last year's NEA grants in these categories show that the number of Washington grant recipients has risen slightly — from 28 to 30 — but that the overall dollar amount has shrunk a bit (from $1,286,300 to $1,250,400).

Nationwide, the NEA released $60.7 million last year in this round of grants; this year the total is up to $66 million.

Washington grants include:

Washington State Arts Commission: $603,400 for Partnership Agreement activities, and $25,000 for the creation of a statewide Latino Infrastructure Initiative.

Jack Straw Memorial Foundation: $10,000 to support a documentary radio series, and $55,000 for Family Celebrations radio project.

Seattle Symphony Orchestra: $65,000 for events in underserved communities.

Burke Museum: $30,000 for a Web site on totem pole art, and $25,000 for two totem poles.

Seattle Arts & Lectures: $50,000 for Writers in the Schools (WITS).

Seattle International Children's Festival: $40,000 for education and outreach.

911 Media Arts Center: $25,000 to support a mentoring program for film and video makers, and $15,000 for an after-school program.

Ethnic Heritage Council: $30,000 for after-school programs in traditional art.

Seattle Repertory Theatre: $25,000 for the professional development program, Bringing Theater into the Classroom.

Wing Luke Memorial Foundation: $25,000 for an oral history/artwork project.

Northwest Indian College: $25,000 to support the Native American Women & Girls Conference.

Arts and Visually Impaired Audiences: $25,000 to support an audio project.

Greater Tacoma Community Foundation: $25,000 to improve classroom arts-teaching skills.

Town Hall Association: $20,000 for performances and educational programs.

Pomegranate Center: $20,000 to support a community design project.

Seattle Theatre Group: $17,000 to support "DANCE this.... "

City of Seattle, Washington Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs: $13,000 for publishing "Public Art 101."

Youth in Focus: $12,000 for photography classes for urban teens.

Book-It Repertory Theatre: $10,000 for Book-It All Over education and outreach.

Admiral Theatre Foundation: $10,000 for a collaboration with Missoula Children's Theatre.

Tribes Project, Inc.: $10,000 for a high-school production of original plays.

Spokane Symphony Society: $10,000 for concerts in rural communities.

Vashon Allied Arts: $8,000 for artists in schools.

Seattle Center Foundation: $8,000 to support the Seattle Center Academy.

Lynden Heritage Foundation: $8,000 toward a commission and residency for artist Patrick Dougherty.

New Old Time Chautauqua: $6,000 toward residencies and outreach.