Dax Foundation Establishes PACT, Awards Grants To 4 LA Based Theater Groups

The Dax Foundation - a Los Angeles-based private, non-profit philanthropic foundation dedicated to helping people and animals around the world - announced today that it is significantly increasing its support for the arts by establishing its new Performing Arts Charitable Trust (PACT) and has awarded its first grants to four outstanding Los Angeles-based theater groups: Shakespeare Santa Monica, Veterans Center for the Performing Arts, Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble and Independent Shakespeare Company.

PACT grants are unrestricted financial awards designed to help growing arts groups enhance their performance capabilities, increase awareness of their theatrical projects, and better connect with their local communities. Key goals of the Trust include:

• Identifying exceptional performance arts groups & providing them with the funding, support & resources needed to build sustainable organizations that can grow, flourish & thrive over the long term.

• Enriching the lives of arts lovers of all ages through innovative, memorable performances of moving works from Shakespeare & other great playwrights & composers.

• Forging a tighter bond between arts groups & their local communities that fosters increased local support of the arts & continued enjoyment for residents, families & visitors for many years to come.

"At a time when funding for the arts from both public and private
sources is declining precipitously, we felt compelled to increase our
long-standing commitment to the arts in Los Angeles," said Dave
Weisman, the Dax Foundation's Executive Director. "After privately
supporting and watching dedicated theatrical companies face
significant challenges in bringing vital cultural arts to their
communities, we decided to expand our support for these groups."

Weisman noted that PACT will not just provide one-time grants to
"talented groups with an extraordinary passion to perform," but will
nurture them & continue to provide assistance over the long run.
"Beyond just financial support, the Foundation offers them a
supportive environment to expand their thinking and take bold steps to
deliver powerful performances the entire community can enjoy," Weisman
added.

The Dax Foundation is also announcing that award-winning Shakespeare
Santa Monica and Not Man Apart director John Farmanesh-Bocca will
serve as PACT's Program Director. "I'm thrilled to be working with the
Dax Foundation to identify and support outstanding arts groups to help
them realize their full potential," Farmanesh-Bocca said. "There are
many talented performance groups that could benefit from additional
help to bring brilliant arts entertainment to their communities."

In 2008, Shakespeare Santa Monica produced one of the most innovative
and engaging productions of Shakespeare's famous Pericles in years.
With the help of a $50,000 performance grant from the Dax Foundation,
Shakespeare Santa Monica will be performing several benefit
performances of their acclaimed interpretation, Pericles Redux this
summer at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles to benefit
Shakespeare Santa Monica's ambitious 2009/2010 season. Tickets for
these upcoming benefit performances and will be available in the
coming weeks via the Center Theatre Group
(www.CenterTheatreGroup.org).

Dax Foundation officials say the other grant recipients are equally impressive.

"The mission of the Veterans Center for the Performing Arts is to
celebrate military veterans by developing & producing their original
works, providing world-class theatrical training and enabling positive
artistic expression by delivering thought provoking works from a
veteran's perspective," said Stephan Wolfert, Founding Director of the
Los Angeles-based organization.

"We're pleased that the Dax Foundation shares our commitment to
veterans and their families," he said. "The Foundation's generous
support will help us continue to provide great theater, such as our
well received current production of Richard III to our friends,
neighbors and communities."

David Melville, Managing Director of the Independent Shakespeare
Company added, "This year is our 10th anniversary, and we have much to
celebrate. Our summertime Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park program
continues to grow and we anticipate performing for more then 12,000
people in 2009. The sponsorship and support of the Dax Foundation is
critical to our continued success and will enable us to enhance our
performance capabilities and make this our most artistically
successful season to date."

About The Dax Foundation
The Dax Foundation is a private, California-based non-profit,
philanthropic organization that implements and supports innovative
programs that help people around the world identify, pursue and
realize their dreams. The Foundation provides resources, support and
raises awareness for individuals and groups whose vision includes
making the world a better place for people and animals. Current
Foundation projects include the Mayfair Foundation, a recreation and
educational facility for severely disabled children; Over A Barrel, a
rescue and treatment facility for abused and neglected animals; Organs
‘R' Us, a program dedicated to raising awareness about the critical
need for life-saving organ donation; Maui Cat, a humane program to
reduce the pain and suffering of rampant feral cat populations; and
other deserving programs around the world. For more information,
please visit www.daxfoundation.org.

About Veterans Center for the Performing Arts
The Veterans Center for the Performing Arts provides a unique artistic
forum for exploring classical theatre and original works from the
perspective and experience of the military veteran. Using a wide
variety of performance media, the VCPA strives to build a creative
bond between the military and civilian communities by allowing
veterans to express their "voices" without pity, apology, or political
agenda. The organization's goal is to promote understanding and
empathy for the unique stresses faced by those that have faced combat,
and to provide a positive and supportive environment for creative
self-expression. For more information, please visit www.govcpa.com.

About Shakespeare Santa Monica
In 2009, Shakespeare Santa Monica goes into its sixth season, offering
top-notch Shakespeare in Santa Monica's Reed Memorial Park with the
aim to have Santa Monica join the other great cities in the world that
provide free Shakespeare to its residents, surrounding communities and
visitors. SSM believes that Shakespeare is most successful when it
becomes a part of the fabric of a community. Comprised of passionate
and dedicated university arts educators and working artists, SSM's
all-volunteer troupe is dedicated to life-long education and training
in the arts. For more information, please visit
www.ShakespeareSantaMonica.com.

About Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble
The Mission of Not Man Apart is to mount productions using new
emerging theatre arts techniques joined with the experimental and
dance theater techniques of past decades to create exhilarating
theatrical events that are at the same time life affirming and
consciousness expanding. NMA is based at the Artistic Sanctuary of the
Americas on the Monterey Peninsula but performs nationally and
internationally. The directors of Not Man Apart also contribute to
Shakespeare Santa Monica. For more information, please visit
www.NotManApart.com.

About Independent Shakespeare Company
ISC believes that the great works of theater belong to everyone,
transcending cultural and economic boundaries. ISC serves the
community through creating professional productions of classical plays
that are available to all. Each summer, through the Free Shakespeare
in Barnsdall Park program (currently in its 6th year), it offers
thousands of people access to the great works of theater. ISC is also
committed to honoring its artists: the summer repertory company
members are employed under Actors' Equity Association contracts which
include a salary with health and pension benefits (one of only a
handful of such opportunities in Los Angeles.) Through accessible,
entertaining productions that rely on skillful speaking and dynamic
staging, ISC strives to expand current audiences and develop the next
generation of theater-goers. For more information on the 2009 season
of The Tempest & Henry V, visit www.IndependentShakespeare.com.