LA Stage Alliance Receives Major Grant from The Ahmanson Foundation

Los Angeles-based The Ahmanson Foundation has approved a major grant to LA Stage Alliance, the region's arts service organization for stage work. The grant is for a two-year project in support of a digital platform for ticketing, listings, reviews, and journalism that is easily accessible for residents of and visitors to the greater Los Angeles area.

The Ahmanson Foundation serves Los Angeles County by funding cultural projects in the arts and humanities, education at all levels, health care, programs related to homelessness and underserved populations as well as a wide range of human services. The Ahmanson Foundation strives to enhance the quality of life and cultural legacy of the Los Angeles community.

The Ahmanson Foundation Trustee Stephen Rountree said, "The Ahmanson Foundation is committed to the vitality of the arts in Los Angeles and LA Stage Alliance has played a vital role in supporting and promoting diverse non-profit theatres in LA. This grant will enable LASA to enhance communications and services to LA's theatre community."

Paula Holt, Vice-chair of LA Stage Alliance's Board of Governors notes that, "With the generosity of The Ahmanson Foundation's two-year grant, LA Stage Alliance is perfectly poised to serve the Los Angeles community of arts providers and arts consumers in this new era of digital information - and we will be providing an essential link between the two."

LA Stage Alliance Executive Director Steven Leigh Morris commented, "This grant provides the resources to help us accomplish what our stage community has been clamoring for - a 'go to' destination for LA's residents and visitors to clearly and quickly identify what's playing this week in any neighborhood of their choice. Easy ticketing options, reviews, and feature articles will also be included." He continued, "In the prior century this was the purview of newspapers, and we're very grateful to The Ahmanson Foundation for helping to guide us further into and through the 21st century in this comprehensive, civic way." Morris anticipates that the first phase of this project will be implemented by the end of 2017.

Since 1975, LA Stage Alliance has worked to support artists and engage audiences of greater LA through a series of programs, events, and advocacy efforts. All of its initiatives aim to serve and strengthen the sector - both at an individual and community level. Specifically, LA Stage Alliance serves over 500 arts organizations across Southern California, providing resources that facilitate audience engagement, collaborative marketing, community building, and professional development. Its programs are supported in part by Bill Bordy, the Biller Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Bakers Man Productions, Goldstar, Ken Werther Publicity, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Performances Magazine, Peter Konerko Photography, The Shubert Foundation, Variety, and Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment.

LA Stage Alliance is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary. For more information, visit www.lastagealliance.com.