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

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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

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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

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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

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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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