NEA Chairman Jane Chu to Visit Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Red Wing, Minnesota, April 8-9, 2015

NEA Chairman Jane Chu. Photo by Strauss Peyton Studios
Washington, DC—NEA Chairman Jane Chu will visit Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Red Wing, Minnesota, April 8–9, 2015. Her trip will include site visits to NEA grantee organizations and a public event in St. Paul the evening of April 8. Congresswoman Betty McCollum will join Chairman Chu for the site visits and event on April 8 in Minneapolis and St. Paul. In addition, Congressman Keith Ellison will attend the visit to Open Book on April 8. Follow @NEAJaneChu on twitter for photos and commentary on her visit to Minnesota.
Chairman Chu will begin her visit in Minneapolis on April 8 where she will tour Open Book, including Loft Literary Center, Milkweed Editions, and Minnesota Center for Book Arts. After the tour, Chairman Chu will learn about Minnesota's nationally renowned literary arts culture and will also meet with leaders from Graywolf Press, Coffee House Press, Rain Taxi, and the Friends of the Hennepin County Library. Next, she will visit MacPhail Center for Music where she will learn more about their Online Partnership Programs and Online Early Childhood Music program. Her visit to MacPhail will include virtual meetings with students and teachers taking part in MacPhail programs throughout the state. That afternoon, Chairman Chu will visit Hmong Cultural Center in St. Paul where she will observe a class learning the qeej, a reed instrument made of wood and bamboo, and learn more about their efforts to document and teach Hmong cultural traditions.
That evening at 5:30pm, the Minnesota Arts Board will host a public forum with Chairman Chu at History Theatre. Chairman Chu will give remarks and take questions from the audience. In addition, Congresswoman Betty McCollum will make remarks. Members of the public can RSVP to attend at msab@arts.state.mn.us or 651-215-1600/800-866-2787. Chairman Chu will have limited availability prior to this event for media interviews. Please contact Liz Auclair at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744 to request an interview.
On the morning of April 9, Chairman Chu will visit the Anderson Center at Tower View in Red Wing where she will tour the center and learn more about their artist residency program.
The following events are open to media. Media who wish to attend these events or request an interview with Chairman Chu should contact NEA Public Affairs at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
10:30–11:00am Tour of Open Book
Location: 1011 Washington Avenue South. Minneapolis, MN 55415. The tour will begin in suite 200.
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN)
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Amy Stolls, director of literature, National Endowment for the Arts
Jocelyn Hale, executive director, Loft Literary Center
Daniel Slager, publisher and CEO, Milkweed Editions
Jeff Rathermel, executive director, Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Joe Skifter, general manager, Open Book
Sue Gens, executive director, Minnesota State Arts Board
Susan T. Chandler, vice president, Arts Midwest
1:30–2:30pm Visit to MacPhail Center for Music
Location: 501 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Kyle Carpenter, chief executive officer, MacPhail Center for Music
Paul Babcock, president and chief operating officer, MacPhail Center for Music
Jennifer Halcrow, vice president of advancement, MacPhail Center for Music
Dianna Babcock, director, Early Childhood Music, MacPhail Center for Music
Kristin Shoemaker, manager, MacPhail Online, MacPhail Center for Music
Jeanie Brindley-Barnett, co-founder, senior teaching artist, MacPhail Music for Life™
Amanda Breininger, MacPhail Early Childhood Music teaching artist, MacPhail Center for Music
Darcy Reese, choir teacher/multicultural performances, Lincoln High School, Thief River Falls, MN
Sue Gens, executive director, Minnesota State Arts Board
Susan T. Chandler, vice president, Arts Midwest
3:30–4:30pm Visit to Hmong Cultural Center
Location: 375 University Avenue West #204, Saint Paul, MN 55103
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Txongpao Lee, executive director, Hmong Cultural Center
Dr. Mark Pfeifer, director of programs and development, Hmong Cultural Center
Sue Gens, executive director, Minnesota State Arts Board
5:30–6:30pm Remarks and Q&A at a public forum hosted by Minnesota Arts Board. Please note Chairman Chu has availability for short interviews preceding this event. Media wishing to request an interview should contact NEA Public Affairs at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744.
Location: History Theatre, 30 East 10th Street, St. Paul, MN 55101
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Sue Gens, executive director, Minnesota State Arts Board
Thursday, April 9, 2015
10:00–11:00am Tour of the Anderson Center at Tower View
Location:163 Tower View Dr, Red Wing, MN 55066
Participants:
Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
Robert Hedin, executive director, Anderson Center at Tower View
Anderson Center Board of Directors, staff, and artists
David J. Fraher, president & CEO, Arts Midwest
Susan T. Chandler, vice president, Arts Midwest
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Contact
Liz Auclair (NEA), auclaire@arts.gov, 202-682-5744