Actor's Express to Receive $10,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $10,000 to Actor's Express for its production of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize Award-winning play Angels in America, currently on stage through February 17. The Art Works category is the NEA's largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

"It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEA-supported projects, such as this one to Actor's Express, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives," said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. "At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities and connections the arts bring."

According to Actor's Express Artistic Director Freddie Ashley, "It is enormously gratifying to have AE's work supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Angels in America is a play that intersects cuttingly with the current American moment. Our production was designed with this in mind and we built the entire experience on a foundation of community engagement that seeks to generate conversations animated by the ideas and issues embedded in the play. The NEA's support has meant that we have been able to deliver on our promise of a high level of excellence and a deep commitment to engage with our community."