Washington, DC – Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will visit Rochester, New York, on Tuesday, May 31, 2016. During the trip, Chairman Chu and U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter will participate in a press conference at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester where they will highlight the impact of NEA grants in the Rochester community, the importance of the arts across the nation, and how Congress can continue to support access to the arts.  Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to New York.   Media should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov or 202-682-5528 (Chairman Chu) or Jeff Gohringer (U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter) at Jeff.Gohringer@mail.house.gov or (202) 225-3615 if they would like to attend the press conference or request interviews. As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50^th anniversary celebration, the NEA has created a story bank of multimedia content that showcases the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including New York, have submitted stories about how the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have impacted their lives. In addition, Rep. Slaughter contributed a video about the arts in New York. Tuesday, May 31, 2016 2:00–3:00pm Press Event and Site Visit at Eastman School of Music               2:00-2:30pm Press Event (Wolk Atrium), 2:30-3:00pm Site Visit (Hatch Recital Hall) Location: Eastman East Wing, 433 East Main Street, Rochester, NY Participants:   Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Louise Slaughter, U.S. Representative for New York Jamal J. Rossi, joan and martin messinger dean, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester Dr. Bruce Barnes, director, George Eastman Museum 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.

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