TADA! Youth Theater Receives NEA Art Works Grant to Support Musical Theater Writing Residency Programs

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman recently announced that TADA! Youth Theater is one of 788 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. TADA! Youth Theater is recommended for a $65,000 grant to provide Musical Theater Writing residences in NYC public schools. The 788 Art Works grants total $24.81 million and support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

TADA!?s unique and in-depth Musical Theater Writing Residencies integrate a student-selected topic from current affairs, issues affecting their community, issues that are culturally relevant or elements from their school curriculum with writing, rehearsing and performing an original 50-minute musical production in collaboration with TADA!?s professional Teaching Artists (TAs). TADA!?s intended outcome is that children and youth will demonstrate increased levels of appreciation, knowledge and understanding of and skills in the arts by: 1) participating in all aspects of writing and performing a musical in accordance with the New York City Blueprint for the Arts and New York State Learning Standards for the Arts; 2) more deeply understanding a topic in current affairs or affecting their community through arts-integrated instruction; 3) understanding the components of a musical (libretto, lyrics, music); 4) learning how to work together as an ensemble in the creative collaborative process; and 5) experiencing the sense of accomplishment and pride that comes from the final successful presentation of their work on stage.

Chairman Landesman said, ?The arts should be a part of everyday life. Whether it?s seeing a performance, visiting a gallery, participating in an art class, or simply taking a walk around a neighborhood enhanced by public art, these grants are ensuring that across the nation, the public is able to experience how art works.?

The NEA received 1,624 eligible applications under the Art Works category for this round of funding, requesting more than $78 million in funding. For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.