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

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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

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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

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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 10^th 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

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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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