Washington, DC – Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will visit Lawrence, Kansas on April 11, 2016.  Chairman Chu will tour the Lied Center of Kansas at the University of Kansas, and visit Van Go, Inc., to learn how this organization uses the arts to reach under-served youths in Kansas. Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to Kansas. On Monday, April 11, Chairman Chu will tour the Lied Center of Kansas at the University of Kansas where she will interact with students as they participate in the Third Grade Theatre Arts Day. Third Grade Theatre Arts Day is a collaboration between the Lied Center, Lawrence Arts Center, and Theatre Lawrence. Students will participate in activity stations led by local artists and teaching artists. Each station allows students to learn about the different aspects of theatre including, makeup, costuming, acting, movement, lighting, sound, and others aspects of performance. Next, Chairman Chu will visit Van Go, Inc., an arts-based social service agency.  Van Go provides year-round afterschool and summer job-training programs to underserved youth, ages 14-24. Chairman Chu will meet with youth participants to discuss their experiences and join them in creating an art piece. As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50th anniversary, the NEA is creating a story bank of multimedia content that showcases the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including from Kansas, have submitted stories about how the arts and the NEA has impacted their lives, including one from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC).   Visit the NEA’s website to learn more about these stories. The following events are closed to the public, except where noted, but open to media. Media should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov or 202-682-5528 if they would like to attend any of the site visits or request an interview with Chairman Chu. Monday, April 11^th 10:00 – 10:30 am     Lied Center of Kansas at the University of Kansas Location: 1600 Stewart Dr., Lawrence, KS 66045 Participants: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Derek Kwan, Executive Director, Lied Center of Kansas Peter Jasso, Director, KCAIC Mary Doveton, Executive Director, Theatre Lawrence Dena Johnston, Executive Director, Lawrence Schools Foundation Mary Kennedy, CEO, Mid-America Arts Alliance 11:30 – 12:30 pm Van Go Center Location: 715 New Jersey St, Lawrence, KS 66044 Participants: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Lynne Green, Executive Director, Van Go Peter Jasso, Director, KCAIC 12:30 pm – 12:45 pm Media Availability with Chairman Chu About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016. Go to the 50th section at arts.gov to enjoy art stories from around the nation, peruse the Facts & Figures section, and check out the anniversary timeline.

United States of Arts: Kansas