Washington, DC—Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will travel to Tacoma and Seattle, Washington, from February 16, 2016 through February 17, 2016. During her visit, Chu will visit various art organizations in Tacoma, Port Townsend, and Bainbridge Island with Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA). Chairman Chu will also visit Seattle where she will tour key arts organizations that contribute to Seattle’s diverse arts community. Chairman Chu will also participate in a Town Hall Meeting at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience and announce a new pilot initiative. Chairman Chu is available for short one-on-one interviews where noted in the schedule below. On Tuesday, February 16^th, Chairman Chu joins Congressman Kilmer on a tour of the Tacoma Museum of Glass. There, Chairman Chu and Congressman Kilmer will hear from service members and veterans who participate in the Hot Shop Heroes: Healing with Fire program. Supported by the NEA, this program allows wounded service members and veterans to take glassblowing and flame-working classes. The Tacoma Museum of Glass has also participated in Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the NEA, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and thousands of museums across the country to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Next, Chairman Chu and Congressman Kilmer will tour NEA grantees Centrum Foundation and Copper Canyon Press in Port Townsend, Washington. The Centrum Foundation has many enriching programs that foster creative thinking and artistic expression. Copper Canyon Press is a non-profit publisher dedicated to poetry. Chairman Chu and Congressman Kilmer will join a luncheon with the local arts community to discuss the important role the arts play in Port Townsend.  Later, Chairman Chu and Congressman Kilmer will tour Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and attend a reception with arts leaders in the community. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art has also participated in Blue Star Museums. On Wednesday, February 17^th, Chairman Chu will travel to Seattle, Washington, where she will tour 12th Avenue Arts in Seattle’s Capitol Hill District. The 12^th Avenue Arts project developed by Capitol Hill Housing includes 88 affordable apartments, office space for Capitol Hill Housing and local nonprofits, two flexible theaters, and underground parking for Seattle Police Department. NEA supported the development of a cultural placemaking toolkit for activating urban spaces with the arts. Next, Chairman Chu will travel to Franklin High School where she will tour the school and participate in a songwriting workshop. Chairman Chu will have the opportunity to interact with students as they tap into their creative talents. Franklin High School is a part of the Seattle Public Schools, which is an NEA grantee that supported the implementation of Creative Advantage. The Creative Advantage is a collective impact partnership dedicated to restoring access to the arts for all students in Seattle Public Schools by 2020.  Then, Chairman Chu will visit the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. The Wing Luke Museum is a nationally recognized museum that preserves and celebrates the Asian Pacific American experience from across the nation. The NEA has supported various Wing Luke Museum projects highlighting its mission to share the rich history, dynamic cultures, and art of the Asian Pacific Americans. Later, the Washington State Arts Commission, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience will host a Town Hall where Chairman Chu will discuss why the arts matter and announce a new National Endowment for the Arts pilot initiative that will be open to Seattle and King County high school students. As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50^th 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 Congressman Derek Kilmer, 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 and culture of Washington. 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.

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Tuesday, February 16th    

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9:15AM-10:00AM    Museum of Glass/Hot Shop Heroes Site Visit Location: 1801 Dock Street, Tacoma WA 98402 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) Susan Warner, Artistic Director, Museum of Glass Colonel Michael L. Place, Commander of Madigan Army Medical Center Military Students

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10:15AM- 10:30AM     Media Availability Location: Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock Street, Tacoma WA 98402

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12:15PM- 12:50PM    Tour of Centrum Foundation Location: 223 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) Robert Birman, Executive Director, Centrum Foundation Martha Worthley, Program Manager, Young Artist Project/Artist Residency Manager Susan Doyle, Art Teacher, Blue Heron Middle School Dave Robison, Executive Director, Fort Worden Public Development Authority

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12:55PM- 2:00PM    Tour of Copper Canyon Press Location: 200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) Joseph Bednarik, Co‐Publisher, Copper Canyon Press

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5:00PM - 6:10PM    Tour and Reception at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art Location: 550 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) Greg Robinson, Executive Director and Curator, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

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Wednesday, February 17th                                                                                                

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10:30AM- 11:45AM     Tour 12th Avenue Arts in Seattle's Capitol Hill District Location: 1620 12th Avenue, suite 205, Seattle WA 98122 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Karen Hanan, Executive Director, Washington States Art Commission Michael Seiwerath, Director of Community Programs and External Relations Capitol Hill Housing, also Co-Chair, Capitol Hill Arts District Tonya Lockyer, Artistic Director, Velocity Dance Center Vivian Phillips, Director of Marketing, Seattle Theater Group Randy Engstrom, Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

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2:15PM- 3:30PM     Songwriters workshop with High School students at Franklin High School Location: 3013 S Mt Baker Blvd, Seattle, WA 98144 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Karen Hanan, Executive Director, Washington States Art Commission Bill Berry, Producing Artistic Director, The 5th Avenue Lara Davis, Arts Education Manager, the Office of Arts and Culture Gail Sehlhorst, Visual and Performing Arts Manager, Seattle Public Schools Jennifer Wiley, Principal, Franklin High School

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3:30PM- 4:00PM      Media Availability Location: Franklin High School 3013 S Mt Baker Blvd, Seattle, WA 98144

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4:15PM-5:00PM     Tour the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience visit Location: 719 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Karen Hanan, Executive Director, Washington States Art Commission Beth Takekawa, Executive Director, Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

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5:00PM- 5:30PM     Media Availability Location: Wing Luke Museum Auditorium 719 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104

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6:00PM- 7:00PM    Town Hall Location: Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, 719 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104 Attendees: Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Karen Hanan, Executive Director, Washington States Art Commission Beth Takekawa, Executive Director, Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience Ellen Ferguson, Board Co-President, Wing Luke Museum Randy Engstrom, Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

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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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United States of Arts: Washington State

My Arts Story: Congressman Derek Kilmer Strengthening Our Creative Capacity and America's Future: A motion graphic about the NEA