Mercury Baroque Awarded Grant from National Endowment for the Arts 9/3

Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, today announced that Mercury Baroque has been recommended for a grant of $12,000 to support Mozart Under the Stars, a special free performance at Houston's Miller Outdoor Theatre on September 3rd, 2011. Mercury Baroque is one of 1,145 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations recommended for a grant as part of the federal agency's second round of fiscal year 2011 grants. In total, the Arts Endowment will distribute more than $88 million to support projects nationwide.

An independent agency of the federal government, the National Endowment for the Arts advances artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said, "NEA research shows that three out of four Americans participate in the arts. The diverse, innovative, and exceptional projects funded in this round will ensure that Americans around the country continue to have the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts."

This is the first time that Mercury Baroque has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Funds from the grant will support Mozart Under the Stars, Mercury Baroque's free performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, September 3rd at 8:00pm. This special performance will feature some of Mozart's most memorable music, including his famed Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

"Making music more accessible is an important part of our mission," says Antoine Plante, Mercury's Artistic Director. "Our free performances are fun for the whole family and give thousands of people the opportunity to hear great classical music outside of the traditional concert hall."

Mercury Baroque's last free performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre in September 2010 drew a record crowd of 4,000 people with most having never heard a Mercury Baroque performance before. Families filled the hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre enjoying a relaxing evening of fine music under the stars.

Entering its 11th Season, Mercury Baroque has charmed audiences and critics the world over with its passionate and exciting performances of Baroque music. Mercury Baroque performs a subscription series of concerts in downtown Houston, other Houston-area communities and tours both domestically and internationally. Last season Mercury Baroque made its European debut with five critically acclaimed performances of Lully's opera Armide in Paris. In addition to frequent performances, Mercury Baroque is also dedicated to educating future audiences and training the city's future musicians. Mercury's educational outreach programs have reached more than 10,000 children in the past 5 years alone.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.