U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt Hosts NEA Chairman Dana Gioia for Grants Workshop

		Contact: Liz Stark (NEA) 202.682.5744 Chuck Knapp (Rep. Tiahrt) 316.734.3848

Tiahrt and Gioia Tour Wichita Arts Organizations

July 16, 2007

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt of Kansas's Fourth District today hosted a grants workshop conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for local nonprofit arts organizations. The workshop was part of the NEA's outreach to Kansas arts organizations to inform them about federal funding opportunities and the process of applying for Arts Endowment grants.

At a news conference before the workshop, NEA Chairman Dana Gioia explained the purpose of the NEA's visit, "The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to supporting the arts in communities throughout the country. I am delighted to be here in Wichita today to encourage local arts organizations to apply for federal grants."

"The NEA is currently sponsoring some wonderful projects, such as Operation Homecoming and The Big Read," said Congressman Tiahrt, "and I am pleased to be partnering with them for this workshop. It is very important that we educate local non-profits of the grant opportunities the NEA offers so that we may continue to expand the arts throughout Kansas."

Also participating in the news conference was John D'Angelo, Director of Wichita's Division of Arts and Cultural Services, who discussed the value of the arts in Wichita, and Llewellyn Crain, Executive Director of the Kansas Arts Commission, who spoke on the state of the arts in Kansas and the important relationship the NEA has with the state arts agencies. Forty percent of all Arts Endowment funds go to the state arts agencies.

The press conference and grants workshop were held at the Wichita Art Museum. NEA Deputy Chairman Eileen Corwin Mason and Robert Frankel, NEA Director of Museums and Visual Arts, led the free session, which included a discussion of federal grant 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.

Following the news conference, Congressman Tiahrt and Chairman Gioia toured the Wichita Art Museum and the Mid-America All Indian Center and attended a lunch with local arts, community, and business leaders, hosted by Mayor Carl Brewer. Chairman Gioia also toured the Music Theatre of Wichita, where he saw a rehearsal of the upcoming production of Damn Yankees, which received an NEA American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius grant.

The National Endowment for the Arts 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 Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, visit the NEA Web site at www.arts.gov.

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