December 17, 2013

DANCECleveland Receives National Endowment for the Arts Art Works Grant to Support Spring 2014 Performance and Outreach Activities

DANCECleveland Receives National Endowment for the Arts Art Works Grant

to Support Spring 2014 Performance and Outreach Activities

Grant One of 895 NEA Art Works Grants Funded Nationwide

CLEVELAND, OHIO- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced last week that DANCECleveland is one of 895 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. DANCECleveland is recommended for a $25,000 grant to support their 2014 spring performance series and the outreach opportunities that they provide to the community before and after each performance.

In addition to presenting the highest caliber dance from across the word in northeast Ohio, DANCECleveland provides various audience engagement activities to give community members a deeper understanding into the art form of dance. Complimentary tickets, free master classes with company dancers, in addition to free pre-performance chats and post-performance Q& A sessions educate community members about the company being presented and make what has often been deemed a "superior" art form, accessible to all. The outreach expands far beyond the theatre and into under-served community classrooms with the Read to LearnDance To Move Program, an outreach program that incorporates movement and literacy in over 16 Cleveland Metropolitan Schools.

Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, "The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable experiences for the public to engage with the arts."

Executive Director Pam Young said "This support from the National Endowment for the Arts is tremendously important to DANCECleveland. It helps us offer free and reduced-price tickets, as well as various outreach activities to those who could not otherwise access dance performances. We are deeply grateful for this generous support."

Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence: public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancing the livability of communities through the arts. The NEA received 1,528 eligible Art Works applications, requesting more than $75 million in funding. Of those applications, 895 are recommended for grants for a total of $ 23.4 million.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.

About Dance Cleveland

DANCECleveland, a Cleveland, Ohio based non-profit, is one of a handful of presenters nationally dedicated solely to the presentation of modern and contemporary dance. The centerpiece of the organization's programming is its annual performance series. The performances are surrounded by an array of educational outreach events including artist-run master classes, residency programs, student matinees, pre-performance lectures and post-performance Q&A sessions, designed both to break artistic boundaries and provide community access to the dance aesthetic and dance luminaries that DANCECleveland brings to Northeast Ohio.

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