NEA Awards Grant to Amphibian Stage Productions

Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, announced on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 that Amphibian Stage Productions has been recommended for a grant of $20,000 to support Jumbies Fort Worth! Amphibian Stage Productions is one of 1,145 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations recommended for a grant as part of the federal agency's second round of fiscal year 2011 grants. In total, the Arts Endowment will distribute more than $88 million to support projects nationwide.

An independent agency of the federal government, the National Endowment for the Arts advances artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said, "NEA research shows that three out of four Americans participate in the arts. The diverse, innovative, and exceptional projects funded in this round will ensure that Americans around the country continue to have the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts."

Amphibian Stage Productions Artistic Director Kathleen Anderson Culebro said of the announcement, "We are thrilled and honored by this recognition of our outreach to underserved children, whose schools face enormous challenges delivering a balanced curriculum that includes the arts. Amphibian is passionate about the power of theatre, and we believe this generous investment and vote of confidence in Jumbies Fort Worth! will allow us to expand its reach as we nurture the next generation of artists, audiences and creative problem solvers."

About Jumbies Fort Worth!
Amphibian Stage Productions' outreach project, Jumbies Fort Worth! is a multidisciplinary collaboration with D. McRae Elementary School and Everman ISD. The project focuses on the roots of stilt dancing, wherever it is traditionally practiced throughout the world-Africa, the West Indies, and Mexico. Children learn history, language, geography, drumming, singing, dancing and stilt walking, exposing them to new traditions, while reinforcing the strength of their own communities.

The 3-month program culminates in free performances for other Fort Worth schools. Lesson plans are provided that teachers can use in their regular classroom to enhance the learning experience.

The program's goals for youth include:

· To foster cultural pride and encourage cultural tolerance and collaboration.
· To give children the opportunity to experience the arts free of charge.
· To encourage good health through joyful physical activity.
To develop self-confidence through a sense of community

Jumbies Fort Worth! is also made possible by: The Arts Council of Fort Worth and Nell V. Bailey Charitable Trust.

About Amphibian Stage Productions
Amphibian Stage Productions is a non-profit theatre company founded in 2000 by three alumni of TCU's Department of Theatre who strive to produce innovative and engaging works of theatre that challenge the way we see the world around us. Now in its twelfth season, Amphibian has produced numerous groundbreaking and challenging plays (some regional premieres, others US or world premieres) that foster a deeper understanding of ourselves as members of the global community. The company is widely recognized for its stylistically and thematically varied scripts.
Committed to nurturing young and diverse audiences, Amphibian has developed a strong internship program, a summer acting workshop for teens, and a dynamic outreach project, Jumbies Fort Worth!, that is steadily increasing the company's visibility and following. The group travels to schools and community centers, performing and spreading a message of multicultural collaboration and tolerance.

Amphibian is generously funded by the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, Texas Commission on the Arts, Ann L. & Carol Greene Rhodes Charitable Trust, Amon G. Carter Foundation, Mrs. Lenore Barbata, Mrs. Betty J. Sanders, William E. Scott Foundation, The Rug Company, Out of Nowhere Website Design, Bates Container, Pier 1 Imports, and the Devonian Society, a group of Amphibian's devoted donors who are proud to be the force behind nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

 

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