Photo Coverage: Lin-Manuel Miranda Takes Part in Closing Ceremony of Uptown Arts Stroll

Earlier this year, Lin-Manuel Miranda held a benefit concert at the United Palace for Cultural Arts, In The Heights: In Concert which was presented by Viva Broadway, an initiative of The Broadway League that aims to promote Broadway theatre within the Latino Community. A surplus of ticket sales proceeds went towards The Broadway League's Family First Nights initiative - a nationwide program specifically designed to encourage economically disadvantaged families to attend theatre and local arts programs.

The Broadway League has partnered with ACDP and Amber Charter School to identify families in Northern Manhattan/Washington Heights/Inwood for the Family First Nights program. At the closing ceremony of the 10th annual Uptown Arts Stroll, Miranda presented a $92,000 check from the reunion concert to The Broadway League's Charlotte St. Martin, as well a $25,000 check to The Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance's executive director Sandra Garcia-Betancourt. Check out photos from the special event below!

Family First Nights is a nationwide program specifically designed to encourage economically at-risk families to attend theatre on a regular basis. Many programs exist for students to attend the theatre; however, if the experience is not supported and sustained within the students' home environment, there is little lasting impact promoting theatregoing as a lifelong activity. By engaging the entire family and offering repeated exposure through multiple visits, Family First Nights offers the participating families the opportunity to make live, professional theatre part of their cultural heritage.

Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA) is a non-profit arts service organization launched in 2007 with the support of the Hispanic Federation and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. NoMAA's mission is to cultivate, support, and promote the works of artists and arts organizations in Northern Manhattan. NoMAA advocates for support to artists and art groups who live and work in Northern Manhattan and contribute to the vitality and progress of the whole community. Since its inception, NoMAA has implemented programs designed to strengthen the professional capacity of individual artists and community arts organizations in Washington Heights and Inwood. Among NoMAA programs and services are the NoMAA Creative and General Operating Grant, the Technical Assistance Institute and Workshop Series Program, the annual Uptown Arts Stroll, theNoMAA Gallery, the Artists Salons and Community Forums.

Photo Credit: Jessica Fallon Gordon