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National Endowment for the Arts Presents:
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August 28 , 2006
Washington, D.C. –- The National Endowment for the Arts presents Site Readings: North Carolina in Poetry and Poets, on Monday, August 28. A partnership with the Asheville Area Arts Council (AAAC) and Arts Midwest, this poetry event looks at the effects of place on poetry writing.
Moderated by NEA Chairman Dana Gioia, this literary event brings together two celebrated poets, Fred Chappell and R.S. "Sam" Gwynn. The poets will speak on the influences of place, and in specific, North Carolina, on their own poetry, and read examples from their own works.
"Place has influenced poetry from ancient times to the current day," said Chairman Gioia. "From Homer to Robert Frost, poets have looked to their surroundings for inspiration. North Carolina has been the muse for more than one great American poet. And two of them will be here."
Chairman Gioia is an award-winning poet, author of several volumes of poetry, and editor of numerous anthologies. Fred Chappell, former North Carolina Poet Laureate, is an acclaimed author of novels, short stories, and poetry. His most recent book of poems, Backass, was published in 2004 by the Louisiana State University Press. R.S. "Sam" Gwynn, whose poems have appeared in a number of anthologies and textbooks, is a professor at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. A collection of his poems, No Word of Farewell: Poems 1970-2000 was published by Story Line Press in 2000.
North Carolina Arts and Community groups learn more about the NEA grant process
U.S. Representative Charles Taylor of North Carolina's 11th District will host a special workshop conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for local nonprofit community arts organizations on Tuesday, August 29. The workshop is part of the agency's outreach to North Carolina arts organizations to inform them about federal funding opportunities and to encourage them to apply for Arts Endowment grants.
"I hope that many of our non-profit agencies will take advantage of this workshop, because it will be very beneficial to those who wish to learn more about funding sources," said Rep. Taylor. "I encourage our local arts community leaders to take advantage of this rare opportunity. The arts are a very large part of our economy in Western North Carolina and it is vital to our region that they continue to grow while maintaining financial stability."
Rep. Taylor will also announce that two arts organizations in the 11th district, the Asheville Art Museum and the Flat Rock Playhouse, have been awarded grants of $10,000 each for 2006. The Asheville Art Museum received their grant for Make It New: Western North Carolina Artists Exhibition 2007, as well as an accompanying catalogue, online artist registry, and public programs. The juried exhibition will feature works in all mediums by both amateur and professional artists, highlighting the thriving cultural community in Western North Carolina. Flat Rock Playhouse received their grant for a production based on the classic children's book by Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Along with two professional artists, up to 50 area students and adults will participate in the production, designed to increase the participation in and appreciation of the performing arts in the Flat Rock community.
The press conference and grants workshop will be held at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Enka Campus. Tony Chauveaux, NEA Deputy Chairman for Grants and Awards, will lead the free session, which includes a discussion of federal opportunities for projects that:
provide hands-on learning in the arts for children and youth (pre-K to Grade 12) in schools, arts organizations, and community centers;
help preserve cultural traditions through documentation, publications, exhibits, apprenticeships, and conservation;
provide access to the arts in underserved communities; and
involve the creation or presentation of works of art, including performances, exhibitions, and festivals.
This year, the National Endowment for the Arts marks its 40th anniversary of leadership in the arts. The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts – both new and established – bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
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National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
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