Washington, DC—Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, will visit Los Angeles, California, September 22-23, 2015 at the invitation of Maria Rosario Jackson, member of the NEA’s National Council on the Arts. Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to Los Angeles. Chairman Chu will be available for short interviews following these site visits and where noted below. Media who wish to request an interview with Chairman Chu should contact Liz Auclair in advance at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744. Prior to this trip, Chairman Chu will visit Fresno, California, September 20–21. More information about that trip is available here. Chairman Chu’s visit to Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday, September 22 with a site visit to learn more about the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs’ Promise Zone Arts project. Supported by a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant, this project will create a cultural asset map of the neighborhoods in the Zone through planning a series of site-specific cultural events that address the goals of improved educational opportunities, economic development, neighborhood safety, and livability. Chairman Chu will join the project partners, as well as HUD Promise Zone Liaison Erich Yost, in a tour of locations within the Promise Zone that are examples of the area’s cultural assets. Media are invited to attend the visits to Heart of Los Angeles and Central American Resource Center (CARECEN). Following the visit to CARECEN, Chairman Chu will be available for short media interviews. That afternoon, Chairman Chu will visit the Great Wall of Los Angeles, a project of Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC). UCLA Professor and SPARC’s Founder/Artistic Director Judy Baca and Executive Director Debra J.T. Padilla will give Chairman Chu a guided tour of the mural and discuss the expansion of this mural to include new panels that will represent California history from 1960-90, which is supported by the NEA. On Wednesday, September 23, Chairman Chu will learn more about EngAGE, which provides free, college-level arts classes and events to low-income seniors at senior apartment communities, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. As part of this visit, Chairman Chu will visit tour the NoHo Senior Arts Colony and observe a class. That afternoon, Chairman Chu will join members of Design East of La Brea at the Neutra VDL House in Silver Lake. The National Endowment for the Arts supports Design East of La Brea’s Making LA: Connect, Flourish, Thrive, Prosper series, which provides events in each of four issues identified as significant to the neighborhood - community, water, transportation, and density. The Neutra VDL House is a landmark that Design East of La Brea has helped to make a destination for the city. Chairman Chu will tour the house and discuss Design East of La Brea’s work in the community. The following events are closed to the public but open to media. Media should contact Liz Auclair at auclaire@arts.gov or 202-682-5744 if they would like to attend or request an interview with Chairman Chu. Tuesday, September 22, 2015 9:35–10:35am Site visit about City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs’ Promise Zone Arts project Locations: 9:35–9:55am Heart of Los Angeles, 2619 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90057 10:00–10:20am  Central American Resource Center, 2845 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005 10:20–10:35am  Media Availability at Central American Resource Center Participants:       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Maria Rosario Jackson, member, National Council on the Arts Erich Yost, HUD Promise Zone Liaison Craig Watson, director, California Arts Council Danielle Brazell, general manager, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Alison Becker, director, LA Promise Zone, Mayor’s Office for Economic Development Arturo Chavez, chief of staff, Council District 1, Councilmember Gil Cedillo Joel Jacinto, commissioner, Board of Public Works, City of Los Angeles Laura Zucker, executive director, LA County Arts Commission Amy Kitchener, executive director, Alliance for California Traditional Arts Karen Mack, executive director, LA Commons Dixon Slingerland, executive director, Youth Policy Institute

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2:00–3:00pm Site visit to the Great Wall of Los Angeles, a project of Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) Location:  Tour will begin at Coldwater Canyon Blvd. between Burbank and Oxnard St. Valley Glen, CA  91401 Participants:       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Craig Watson, director, California Arts Council Prof. Judy Baca, founder and artistic director, SPARC Debra J.T. Padilla, executive director, SPARC Carlos Rogel, project manager, SPARC

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Wednesday, September 23, 2015 11:00am–12:00pm  Site visit with EngAGE Location: NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601 Participants:       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Craig Watson, director, California Arts Council Tim Carpenter, founder and executive director, engAGE

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1:00–1:30pm Site visit with Design East of La Brea Location: Neutra VDL House, 2300 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 Participants:       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Craig Watson, director, California Arts Council Alissa Walker, Design East of La Brea Erin Cullerton, Design East of La Brea Haily Zaki, Design East of La Brea Marissa Gluck, Design East of La Brea Sarah Lorenzen, Neutra VDL House David Hartwell, Neutra VDL House