Washington, DC—Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, will visit Juneau, August 15-16, 2019 and meet with Alaskans to learn more about the local benefits stimulated by support from the Arts Endowment. Carter will speak at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce weekly luncheon on Thursday, August 15, to share a national evidentiary-based perspective on the role that the arts play in driving a robust and diverse local economy. Later that day, she will visit the Sealaska Heritage Institute, which in 2019 was awarded an Arts Endowment grant to support the final phase of architectural drawings for its cultural facilities. On Friday, August 16, Carter will headline a brown-bag luncheon open to the public at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center. Those seeking to learn more about the National Endowment for the Arts and its programs are invited to join Chairman Carter for an open-format question and answer session moderated by Alaska State Council on the Arts Chairman Benjamin Brown. Carter will then visit Perseverance Theatre, which in 2019 received Arts Endowment support for a new play that explores the history of the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska through the story of one young girl. That evening, Carter will join the festivities at the final Summer Block Party of the season sponsored by the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council. This event will feature the Njuzu Marimba band of Alaskan and Zimbabwean musicians, as well as arts and food vendors representing a slice of the creative economy in Juneau. Members of the media who wish to attend the following site visits should RSVP to NEA Public Affairs at publicaffairs@arts.gov or 202-682-5570.   Thursday, August 15, 2019 12:00PM-1:30PM  Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce luncheon Location: Juneau Moose Lodge, 8325 Old Dairy Rd, Juneau, AK 99801

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4:00PM-5:00PM  Site Visit to Sealaska Heritage Institute Location: 105 S. Seward St, Juneau, AK 99801

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Friday, August 16, 2019 12:00PM-1:15PM  Brown Bag Luncheon Location: Juneau Arts and Culture Center; 350 Whittier Street, Juneau, AK 99801

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1:30PM-2:45PM  Site Visit to Perseverance Theatre Location: 914 3rd St, Douglas, AK 99824

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5:30PM-2:45PM  Summer Block Party Location:  Centennial Hall Courtyard; 101 Egan Drive, Juneau, AK 99801 Rain location: Inside Juneau Arts and Culture Center

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About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts 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 Arts Endowment 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. Visit arts.gov to learn more.