NEA Chairman Jane Chu to Visit Fresno, California, September 20-21, 2015

NEA Chairman Jane Chu. Photo by Strauss Peyton Studios
Washington, DC—Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, will visit Fresno, California, September 20–21, 2015 at the invitation of David “Mas” Masumoto, member of the NEA’s National Council on the Arts. Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to Fresno. Chairman Chu will be available for short interviews following these site visits and where noted below. Media who wish to request an interview with Chairman Chu should contact Liz Auclair in advance at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744. Following this trip, Chairman Chu will travel to Los Angeles for site visits September 22–23. More information will be released later this week about that trip.
Chairman Chu’s visit to Fresno will begin on Sunday, September 20 with a Town Hall event at Arte Américas, hosted by the Alliance for California Traditional Arts. At this event, Chairman Chu will make remarks and then take part in a Q&A with the audience, moderated by Mas Masumoto. This event is open to the public. To RSVP contact info@actaonline.org or 559-237-9812.
Prior to this event, Chairman Chu will be available for short one-on-one media interviews. Media interested in an interview or in attending this event should contact Liz Auclair in advance at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744.
On Monday, September 21, media are invited to attend Chairman Chu’s site visits with Radio Bilingüe, Centro Binacional Para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno, and Youth Orchestras of Fresno. At Radio Bilingüe, Chairman Chu will learn about their efforts to support the arts and culture through their on-air programming and engage with their community. At Centro Binacional Para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno, Chairman Chu will learn more about the upcoming festival supported by the NEA—Guelaguetza California 2015. The festival will feature folk dances from the seven regions of Oaxaca, a state in southwestern Mexico. Lastly, Chairman Chu will hear a performance by Youth Orchestras of Fresno students and learn more about arts education efforts in Fresno.
The following events are closed to the public (except where noted) but open to media. Media should contact Liz Auclair at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744 if they would like to attend.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
1:15–1:45pm Media availability. Media who wish to request a short one-on-one interview with Chairman Chu should contact Liz Auclair at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744.
Location: Arte Américas, 1630 Van Ness Ave., Fresno, CA 93721
2:00–3:00pm Town Hall Discussion, open to the public
Location: Arte Américas, 1630 Van Ness Ave., Fresno, CA 93721
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
David “Mas” Masumoto, member, National Council on the Arts
Monday, September 21, 2015
11:20am–12:00pm Site visit with Radio Bilingüe
Location: 5005 E. Belmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93727
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
David “Mas” Masumoto, member, National Council on the Arts
Hugo Morales, executive director, Radio Bilingüe
Maria Erana, director for Broadcasting, Radio Bilingüe
Juanita Gomez, host of La Hora Mixteca, Radio Bilingüe
1:30–2:15pm Site visit with Centro Binacional Para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno (CBDIO)
Location: 744 N. Abby Street Fresno, CA 93701
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
David “Mas” Masumoto, member, National Council on the Arts
Margarita Córdoba, board president, CBDIO
Grisanti Valencia, board vice-president, CBDIO
Leoncio Vasquez Santos, executive director, CBDIO
Amy Kitchener, executive director, Alliance for California Traditional Arts
Community workers
Guelaguetza California 2015 dancers
4:00–5:00pm Site visit with Youth Orchestras of Fresno and discussion about arts education in Fresno
Location: Fresno Art Museum, 2233 N. First Street, Fresno, CA 93703
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
David “Mas” Masumoto, member, National Council on the Arts
Robert Bullwinkel, visual & performing arts manager, Fresno County Office of Education
Lindsay Callahan, consultant, Arts Business Coalition
Julia Copeland, executive director, Youth Orchestras of Fresno
Darius Assemi, Arts Business Coalition
Jim Page, Milestones Youth Jazz Workshop
Marc Patterson, lead teacher, ArtVenture Academy
Susan Yost-Filgate, education director, Fresno Art Museum
Young Orchestras of Fresno students
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Contact
Liz Auclair, auclaire@arts.gov, 202-682-5744