National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu to Visit Fargo & Wahpeton, North Dakota, August 24- 25, 2016
Washington, DC – On August 24-25, Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will travel to North Dakota to visit organizations actively engaging, serving, and promoting the arts in Fargo and Wahpeton. On August 24, Chairman Chu will participate in a Town Hall hosted by the North Dakota Council on the Arts and The Arts Partnership at the Plains Art Museum. Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to North Dakota.
On Wednesday, August 24, Chairman Chu will begin her visit to North Dakota by visiting Wahpeton, where the NEA is supporting a project by the Three Rivers Arts Council for the creation of public art in Chahinkapa Park. Her visit will include a tour of the Chahinkapa Park Sculpture Park walk, the Prairie Rose Carousel, and the Red Door Art Gallery.
That afternoon, Chairman Chu will tour the Fargo Theatre, where she will learn about the theater’s history and hear a demonstration on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ.
Next, she will tour the Plains Art Museum, where she will also participate in a Town Hall, hosted by the North Dakota Council on the Arts and the Arts Partnership at the Plains Art Museum. The Town Hall is open to the public, but RSVPs are requested. At the Town Hall, Chairman Chu will speak about the NEA’s 50th anniversary and take questions from the audience, giving her an opportunity to learn more about how the arts play an important role in the North Dakota arts community. Prior to the Town Hall, Chairman Chu will be available for short one-on-one media interviews. Media should send their request in advance to Judith Kargbo, kargboj@arts.gov.
On Thursday, August 25, Chairman Chu will visit the location of the Fargo Project, a pilot project to transform a neighborhood drainage basin into a community commons that will reflect the cultural vibrancy of the Fargo community. In 2011, the National Endowment for the Arts supported a participatory public art process as part of the planning for this project. Chairman Chu will visit the site of this project and hear from artists, community partners, and city of Fargo representatives. At the end of this site visit, Chairman Chu will be available for short one-on-one media interviews.
As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50th anniversary celebration, the NEA created a story bank of multimedia content to showcase the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including North Dakota, have submitted stories about how the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have impacted their lives.
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.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 10:30am–12:00pm Site visit with Three Rivers Arts Council Location: Tour will begin at Hughes Shelter, 820 R.J. Hughes Drive, Wahpeton, ND 58075 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Wayne Beyer, director, Wahpeton Parks & Recreation Department Three Rivers Arts Council Board Members North Dakota Legislative Branch Representatives Roger Jensen, Community Arts Designer Chahinkapa Zoo staff Red Door Art Gallery Board Members
3:15–3:45pm Tour of Fargo Theatre Location: 314 Broadway N, Fargo, ND 58102 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Emily Beck, executive director, Fargo Theatre Fargo Theatre board members
4:00–4:30pm Tour of Plains Art Museum Location: 704 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Andrew J. Maus, director/CEO, Plains Art Museum
4:30–5:00pm Media Availability with NEA Chairman Location: Plains Art Museum, 704 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102
5:30–6:30pm Town Hall (Open to Public) Location: Plains Art Museum, 704 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts
Thursday, August 25, 2016 9:30–11:00am Fargo Project Site Visit (Media Availability from 10:45–11:00am) Location: World Garden Commons, Rabanus Park Shelter, 4315 18th Ave S, Fargo, 58103 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Nicole Crutchfield, planning administrator, City of Fargo Department of Planning & Development Karis Thompson, Community organizer Dwight Mickelson, Artist Loretta Cantieri, Artist Community partners City of Fargo representatives Fargo Park District representatives
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.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 10:30am–12:00pm Site visit with Three Rivers Arts Council Location: Tour will begin at Hughes Shelter, 820 R.J. Hughes Drive, Wahpeton, ND 58075 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Wayne Beyer, director, Wahpeton Parks & Recreation Department Three Rivers Arts Council Board Members North Dakota Legislative Branch Representatives Roger Jensen, Community Arts Designer Chahinkapa Zoo staff Red Door Art Gallery Board Members
3:15–3:45pm Tour of Fargo Theatre Location: 314 Broadway N, Fargo, ND 58102 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Emily Beck, executive director, Fargo Theatre Fargo Theatre board members
4:00–4:30pm Tour of Plains Art Museum Location: 704 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Andrew J. Maus, director/CEO, Plains Art Museum
4:30–5:00pm Media Availability with NEA Chairman Location: Plains Art Museum, 704 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102
5:30–6:30pm Town Hall (Open to Public) Location: Plains Art Museum, 704 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts
Thursday, August 25, 2016 9:30–11:00am Fargo Project Site Visit (Media Availability from 10:45–11:00am) Location: World Garden Commons, Rabanus Park Shelter, 4315 18th Ave S, Fargo, 58103 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Beth Klingenstein, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts Nicole Crutchfield, planning administrator, City of Fargo Department of Planning & Development Karis Thompson, Community organizer Dwight Mickelson, Artist Loretta Cantieri, Artist Community partners City of Fargo representatives Fargo Park District representatives
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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Contact
NEA—Judith Kargbo, kargboj@arts.gov, 202-682-5528
North Dakota Council on the Arts—Amy Schmidt, amschmid@nd.gov, 701-328-7594
