National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $27 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019.
The Central Ohio Symphony received a Challenge America grant of $10,000 for its upcoming Local Focus concert on April 27. Challenge America grants support projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations — those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.
“The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal, and to celebrate,” said Carter in making the awards.
Local Focus will cap the Symphony’s 40th season and feature guest artists and composers with Delaware ties.
“We are excited to have received NEA funding for Local Focus,” said Warren W. Hyer, executive director of the Symphony. “This will support more fully our community engagement activities already in place for this program.”
Hyer noted that this is the second time the Symphony has received an NEA grant in the last four years.
“Receiving a second NEA grant shows the significance and vitality of our programming, and our efforts to reach the community beyond the concert hall,” he said.
Among the community engagement activities planned for the week of the concert are projects with students at Dempsey Middle School and Hayes High School in Delaware, as well as Delaware County Preservation Parks.
More information about the Local Focus concert and related community projects will be available in the coming weeks on the Symphony website at www.centralohiosymphony.org.
