Lakewood Cultural Center (LCC) is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to receive a Grants for Arts Projects award of $10,000. This grant will support a “Recalibrated Reflections” project to provide diversity through the arts. This grant is one of 1,251 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling nearly $28.8 million that were announced by the NEA as part of its first round of grants for the fiscal year 2023.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects in communities nationwide,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D. “Projects such as this one with Lakewood Cultural Center strengthen arts and cultural ecosystems, provide equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, and contribute to the health of our communities and our economy.”
LCC has designed a multidisciplinary art project that includes three primary components:
- Theatrical productions of “The Three Musketeers” and “Romeo & Juliet” performed by the Tony Award-winning theater group, The Acting Company during the LCC Presents spring series on Feb. 22 and 23.
- Creation of on-site murals by local artists from various racial and ethnic backgrounds inspired by the themes highlighted in the performances by The Acting Company.
- Community discussions led by the mural artists in each of the geographical wards across the City of Lakewood during the summer of 2023.
“By including a theater company that practices anti-discrimination and produces classic theater through a contemporary lens, the project will reach diverse communities,” said Lakewood Cultural Center Administrator Rita Sommers.
The mural component focuses on bringing together artists from various racial and ethnic backgrounds to draw from their personal experiences and creatively explore thematic elements of The Acting Company’s performances from a contemporary perspective. Thus, the project is designed to reach individuals who are underrepresented in the arts and increase inclusivity.
For more information about NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
