Classical Theatre of Harlem To Receive $45,000 Grant From The National Endowment For The Arts

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to receive a Grants for Arts Projects award of $45,000. This grant will support Uptown Shakespeare in the Park (USP), CTH's outdoor production that serves free theatre to over 16,500 attendees per year. This grant is one of 1,251 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling nearly $28.8 million that were announced by the NEA as part of its first round of fiscal year 2023 grants.

"The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects in communities nationwide," said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. "Projects such as this one with Classical Theatre of Harlem strengthen arts and cultural ecosystems, provide equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, and contribute to the health of our communities and our economy."

"The National Endowment for the Arts is behind the greatest arts institutions in the country. We are honored by their support and grateful that they see the value that Uptown Shakespeare in the Park gives back to the community." said CTH Producing Artistic Director Ty Jones. "This funding is critical, especially as we prepare for this summer's production of "Malvolio," an original sequel to Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" by CTH's Mellon Playwright in Residence, Betty Shamieh."

Uptown Shakespeare in the Park was launched by CTH in 2013 with the mission of providing freely accessible theatre to Harlem. The program has served over 135,000 attendees to date with productions that have won multiple AUDELCO awards and New York Times Critic's Picks.

For more information on other projects included in the NEA's grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.