Washington, DC—Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, will visit Guilford, Putney, and Bennington, Vermont, June 2–3, 2016. The trip will include visits to NEA grantees Vermont Performance Lab and Sandglass Theater, as well as a reception with the southern Vermont arts community in Bennington. Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to Vermont. Chairman Chu’s visit will begin on Thursday, June 2 at the Vermont Performance Lab, a performance incubator in Guilford. As part of this visit, Chairman Chu will tour Guilford Sound and the artist residency buildings, and join staff, artists-in-residence, and community partners for a discussion about their work and connection with their community. In 2016, the NEA supported Vermont Performance Lab’s artist residencies. Next, Chairman Chu will visit Sandglass Theater in Putney, which specializes in combining puppets with music, actors, and visual imagery. In addition to touring the workshop and theater, Chairman Chu will meet with staff and performers to learn about their upcoming production. In 2015, Sandglass Theater received an NEA grant to support a presenting series of performing arts, puppetry, and community events. Chairman Chu will be available for brief interviews at the conclusion of both site visits. On June 3, Chairman Chu will meet more of the southern Vermont arts community at a reception hosted by the Vermont Arts Council and Vermont Arts Exchange. Chairman Chu will give brief remarks at this reception and will be available for interviews prior to this event. This event is closed to the public but open to media. As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50^th anniversary, the NEA created a story bank of multimedia content that showcases the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including Vermont, have submitted stories about how the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have impacted their lives. Visit the NEA’s website to learn more about these stories and to see a video about the arts in Vermont. The following events are closed to the public, except where noted, but open to media. Media should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov if they would like to attend any of the site visits or request an interview with Chairman Chu.

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Thursday, June 3, 2016 2:00–3:00pm   Site visit to Vermont Performance Lab Location: 561 Fitch Rd, Guilford, VT 05301 Participants:    Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Alex Aldrich, executive director, Vermont Arts Council Sara Coffey, director, Vermont Performance Lab Jen Carr, director of development, Vermont Performance Lab Dave Snyder, owner, Guilford Sound Ann Carlson, choreographer and 2016 Vermont Performance Lab Artist HB Lozito, executive director, Green Mountain Crossroads Robert McBride, director, Rockingham Arts & Museum Project 3:30–4:30pm    Site visit to Sandglass Theater Location:  17 Kimball Hill Rd, Putney, VT 05346 Participants:       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Alex Aldrich, executive director, Vermont Arts Council Eric Bass, performer, co-founding artisitic director, Sandglass Theater  Inez Zeller Bass, performer, co-founding artistic director, Sandglass Theater

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Friday, June 3, 2016 9:45–10:00am        Media availability with Chairman Chu. Media who wish to request a short one-on-one interview should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov. 10:00–11:00am      Reception hosted by Vermont Arts Council and Vermont Arts Exchange Location: Masonic Lodge, 504 Main Street, Bennington, VT 05201 Participants:      Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Alex Aldrich, executive director, Vermont Arts Council 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 50^th 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 50^th section at arts.gov to enjoy art stories from around the nation, peruse the Facts & Figures section, and check out the anniversary timeline.

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