Media Arts Program at the National Endowment for the Arts initiates the regional fellowship project. The video and film fellowships were launched by the NEA and the American Film Institute. The program distributes grants through five regional media arts centers which represent 35 states. The administrative centers would rotate after three years. By 1983 every state except New York was represented. NYS artists were excluded from the program, but the NEA indicated that it would not reduce the amount of support NY artists received from other Media programs. It would increase the number of grants given outside NYS by lowering the stipends. In 1981 approximately 61% of the total funding for NEA/Media Productions went to NYS artists; the average amount was $18,000. Under the new program there was a ceiling of $150,ooo per year for the regional program and grant awards couldn't exceed $15,000. Virgil Grillo, Director of new program.