Watts Village Theater Company Receives California Arts Council Grant

The California Arts Council announced it plans to award $10,440 to Watts Village Theater Company as part of its Local Impact program.

The Local Impact program fosters equity, access, and opportunity by providing project and partnership support for small arts organizations reaching underserved communities. All projects must extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations that have limited access to the arts.

RIOT/REBELLION revisits the historic six days in August 1965 when the struggle of race, class and power exploded in the once-ignored section of Los Angeles known as Watts. First person interviews are weaved together in a theatrical piece that seeks to make harmony from the discordant voices of a community that refused to be silenced.

RIOT/REBELLION is a full-length one act play about the 1965 Watts uprising. The stories shared by the ensemble cast are drawn from interviews with community members who were actual witnesses to the events 50 years ago. RIOT/REBELLION is an energetic, grassroots examination of a terribly significant moment in both Los Angeles and American history. This work will be presented at multiple venues in Watts and Los Angeles including the Mafundi Institute, the WLCAC, Leimert Park and the Los Angeles Theatre Center as well as a school tour of at least five schools.

"We are extremely excited to be able to facilitate this conversation, made possible by the continued support of the California Arts Council." - Managing Director, Eric Inman

"California Arts Council grants support a wide range of projects that are crafted by each community to reflect their values and needs," said Donn K. Harris, Chair of the California Arts Council. "It is always exciting to see what creative minds attempt to do when working collaboratively. With an increased state investment, we are able to further spark the powerful growth and prosperity that result from the deep arts engagement provided by our grant programs."

To view a complete listing of all Local Impact grantees, visit http://arts.ca.gov/news/pressreleases.php.