NEA's Rocco Landesman Embarks on 'Art Works' National Tour, 11/6

National Endowment for the Arts chairman Rocco Landesman was in Brooklyn today, where he delivered the keynote address at the 2009 national 'Grantmakers in the Arts Conference: Navigating the Art of Change.'

As previously reported, Landesman, who has held the post since August, has been in the news quite a bit in the past severAl Weeks due to allegations from conservatives that the NEA (an independent government organization) attempted to politicize the private arts organizations it funds in favor of the Obama administration policies on health care.

Getting back on track and in the news in more productive ways, Landesman, a Broadway producer and former president of the Broadway Jujamcyn Theaters chain, announced at the conference that he will embark on a national tour he is calling 'Artworks' to assess how theater functions in different American cities for the next six months.

His study will begin on Novovember 6 in Peoria, IL, at the invitation of Kathy Chitwood and Suzette Boulais, executive directors of the Eastlight Theatre and the Arts Partners of Central Illinois, respectively. Many speculate that the reason for beginning his national tour in Peoria is a gesture of good will after receiving criticism for remarking recently that he didn't know whether or not Peoria had a live theater.

The "Art Works" tour will continue to unfold in to St. Louis the week of Nov. 23, in Memphis and Nashville the week of Nov. 30, and will be followed by stops in California, Idaho, Kentucky, and Washington.

According to an NEA statement, Landesman's national tour in Peoria "will begin with a round table discussion about the impact of the arts that will be moderated by Carol Coletta, president and CEO of CEOs for Cities, and will include Peoria's political, civic, business, and arts leaders."

In accordance with the tour, the NEA will host a blog at www.arts.gov, "where Americans can post examples and stories of how art works in their own communities."

As a producer, Landesman has been involved with the award-winning plays Doubt, Proof, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Angels in America, The Grapes of Wrath and The Piano Lesson; the Tony-winning musicals Jersey Boys, The Producers and Big River; the Tony-winning revivals of Guys and Dolls, Sweeney Todd, Nine and Kiss Me, Kate; and the Tony-winning revival of Death of a Salesman.

Congress created the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent government run entity, in 1965.  To this day is it committed to funding and endorsing private arts organizations around the country. For more about the NEA, "Art Works," and its additional programs, visit arts.gov.