National Endowment For The Arts Awards Grant To Adopt-A-School Program

The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts is honored to be one of only a handful of New England organizations to receive a Challenge America Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts from a national pool of applicants. The $10,000 grant will support the theatre's Adopt-A-School program. Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter recently approved more than $27 million in grants as a part of the arts endowment's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019. Challenge America grants support projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations of those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

"The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal and to celebrate," Carter said.

"We are honored to have this support and recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts," said Meghan Montaner, director of education for The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory. "Our Adopt-A-School program is a labor of love meant to provide access to the arts for all students. Our work over the last six years has exposed thousands of students to their first live theatrical performance."

The Adopt-A-School program was created in 2013 to provide a school-wide arts experience for Worcester's South High School. Six years later, the program now introduces youth from both Burncoat High School and South High School to Broadway theatre and ties arts into core curriculum concepts to enhance learning. The theatre's education staff works collaboratively with teachers to incorporate the themes, history and social impacts from a Broadway show into lessons across every subject (ELA, history, chemistry, physics, biology, algebra, geometry and more). This year, the theatre is excited to partner with the national tour of On Your Feet!, the Emilio and Gloria Estefan Broadway musical.

Before the show, cast members will visit the schools to interact with students. After much preparation, both schools will attend the show for free and witness their lessons come to life on stage. Select students will also have the chance to perform in the megamix finale alongside the cast. An exclusive matinee performance of On Your Feet! will be presented for the schools on Thursday, March 28 at 11 am. Student work and projects will also be displayed in the theatre's lobby during the public performances of the show, Wednesday, March 27 - Sunday, March 31.

The Adopt-A-School program would not be possible without funding from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on the National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit Arts.gov/news. To learn more about The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory's Adopt-A-School program, visit TheHanoverTheatre.org/education.

About The Hanover Theatre

The Hanover Theatre has entertained more than 2 million patrons with world-class performances and headlining acts including Broadway hits ("Jersey Boys," "Kinky Boots," "Something Rotten!"), comedians (Dave Chappelle, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld), musical acts (Neil Young, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Tony Bennett) and everything in between ("A Christmas Carol," Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Alton Brown, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson). POLLSTAR consistently ranks The Hanover Theatre as one of the Top Theatres in the World. After 11 seasons, the award-winning, historic theatre continues to establish its place as a world-class performing arts venue, acting as a catalyst for the economic development of downtown Worcester. The Hanover Theatre's facilities at 551 Main Street house function spaces, offices and The Hanover Theatre Conservatory.

Worcester Center for Performing Arts, a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, owns and operates The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

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