National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced on Tuesday, November 27 that the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival is one of 832 non-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Festival is recommended for a $12,500 grant to support the 2013 Shouse Chamber Music Institute.
Funds will support the Shouse Institute, a professional training program for chamber ensembles, and a 20th anniversary alumni concert. Designed to bridge the gap between graduate school and a professional performing career, the program involves emerging, pre-professional ensembles participating in coaching sessions, master classes, and performances.”
“I’m proud to announce these 832 grants to the American public including the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival’s Shouse Institute,” said Chairman Landesman. “These projects offer extraordinary examples of creativity in our country, including the creation of new work, innovative ways of engaging audiences, and exemplary education programs.”
“The Shouse Institute has brought many of the country’s finest ensembles to the Festival. It has become one of our signature programs and we are very grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for helping us bring it to our community,” said Maury Okun, executive director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.
In March 2012, the NEA received 1,509 eligible applications for Art Works requesting more than $74 million in funding. The 832 recommended NEA grants total $22.3 million, span 13 artistic disciplines and fields, and focus primarily on the creation of work and presentation of both new and existing works for the benefit of American audiences. Applications were reviewed by panels of outside experts convened by NEA staff and each project was judged on its artistic excellence and artistic merit.
For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.
A secular event, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival is sponsored by Kirk in the Hills, St. Hugo of the Hills, Temple Beth El, and Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings. The 2012 Festival will take place June 9 – June 24 in venues across Metro Detroit. For more information, please visit www.greatlakeschambermusic.org
