$25K Levitt AMP grant will be matched to bring 10 free outdoor concerts to Barber Park in 2016
"Greensboro, N.C., January 5, 2016 — The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation announced today that Greensboro is one of 15 American towns and cities to win a Levitt AMP Grant award of $25,000 in matching funds to present a series of 10 free concerts in 2016. The concerts will be held at Jimmie I. Barber Park in East Greensboro.
In July, the Levitt Foundation invited nonprofits, and municipalities partnering with a nonprofit, to submit proposals that would reflect the three goals of the Levitt AMP awards: Amplify community pride and the city’s unique character; enrich lives through the power of free, live Music; and illustrate the importance of vibrant public Places. In an effort to inspire and engage communities across the country around the power of creative placemaking, the Levitt Foundation opened the selection process to the public to choose the Top 25 Finalists.
ArtsGreensboro and the City of Greensboro joined forces to apply for the grant, as did 39 other nonprofits and cities. The public voted on the submitted proposals throughout the month of November, selecting their favorite projects online at http://grant.levittamp.org.
“Following the success of the 2015 National Folk Festival and with Greensboro’s long history of supporting MUSEP (Music for a Sunday evening in the Park) concerts, we realized that Greensboro was ripe for more free, high-quality concerts highlighting a variety of performers and musical genres,” said Tom Philion, ArtsGreensboro President and CEO. “We knew we could engage the community to vote online for our proposal and propel us to win this grant.”
“Everything we do is about building better lives to build a better community. The public/private partnership with ArtsGreensboro and winning the Levitt AMP grant allows us to do just that, through enhancing quality of life for our residents,” said Wade Walcutt, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Greensboro. “The arts are very important to us, and for years we’ve been proud to produce the MUSEP program for our community. We’re thrilled to provide another free opportunity for our residents to listen to great music and connect with the outdoors in one of the best parks in the City!”
Greensboro elected officials expressed their delight about the grant. “This is another significant win for our city and our residents,” said Mayor Nancy Vaughan. “Greensboro is a city that supports—and celebrates—cultural activities.”
District 1 Council Member Sharon Hightower, whose district includes Barber Park, said, “Barber Park is an absolutely beautiful site, one of the top parks in our region. It’s in an area that will benefit from the increased attention that will come as a result of this new concert series. I’m so excited about these concerts, and I look forward to hosting them.”
Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson continued, “What a great and well-deserved win for our city! I’m absolutely thrilled about these concerts. In fact, I plan to be right there in the front row for every one of them.”
“The newly renovated Barber Park is the ideal place for the Levitt AMP Greensboro Music Series, showcasing a range of high-caliber talent in a new citywide destination for everyone in Greensboro to enjoy,” said Sharon Yazowski, Executive Director of the Levitt Foundation.
The 15 Levitt AMP winners hail from small towns including Asbury Park, N.J.; North Adams, Mass.; Cleveland, Miss.; Middlesboro, Ky.; Midvale, Utah; Jacksonville, Ill.; New Albany, Miss.; and Denison, Texas; to mid-sized cities spanning the country including Greensboro; Trenton, N.J.; Carson City, Nev.; Sheboygan, Wis.; Charlottesville, Va.; Utica, N.Y.; and Frederick, Md. Each winner will present 10 free concerts featuring a diverse lineup of high caliber entertainment in 2016 as part of the Levitt AMP Music Series, for a total of 150 free Levitt AMP concerts.
ArtsGreensboro encourages supporters to share the news about the Levitt AMP Greensboro Music Series by using the hashtags #LevittAMPgso and #getAMPedgso on social media.
###
About Levitt AMP Awards
The Levitt AMP Grant Awards is an exciting matching grant program made possible by Levitt Pavilions, a national nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of America through the power of free, live music. The Levitt AMP Music Series was created in 2014 Levitt AMP to bring the joy of free, live music to people of all ages and backgrounds living in small-to-mid-sized towns and cities, transforming neglected public spaces into thriving community destinations. levittamp.org
About ArtsGreensboro
With an annual budget of approximately $4 million, ArtsGreensboro is a catalyst for innovation to build recognition and support for the arts. Through its ArtsFund-supported grant programs, the 17DAYS Arts & Culture Festival, I HEART ARTS Month, and other opportunities including the National Folk Festival, ArtsGreensboro is driving the health and vitality of our community by supporting arts education, celebrating the diversity of Greensboro, and driving economic impact through excellence in arts programming. artsgreensboro.org"
- A Press Release
No comments:
Post a Comment