Berkeley Repertory Theatre Has Received NEA Grant

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the theatre company has been approved for a $50,000 Art Works grant to support The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The Art Works funding category supports projects that focus on public engagement with, and access to, various forms of excellent art across the nation; the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence; learning in the arts at all stages of life; and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life.

"The arts are at the heart of our communities, connecting people through shared experiences and artistic expression," said Arts Endowment chairman Mary Anne Carter. "The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support projects like Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor and its development of new work."

"Berkeley Rep is committed to encouraging writers of all backgrounds to tell us their stories in the most imaginative way they possibly can, because their stories are our stories," said Susan Medak, Berkeley Rep's Managing Director. "Support from the National Endowment for the Arts is one of the essential components necessary to underpin our Ground Floor program and continue the growth of new works."

Since 2012, 134 Ground Floor residencies have been awarded to artists working on a wide range of projects, including Sarah Ruhl's Becky Nurse of Salem, Anna Deavere Smith's Notes from the Field, John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons, Anaïs Mitchell's Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown, Dave Malloy's Ghost Quartet, Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, and Marcus Gardley's The House that will not Stand.

The Ground Floor is supported by Louise Gund, Frances Hellman & Warren Breslau, Michael & Sue Steinberg, and other individual supporters of Berkeley Rep's Create Campaign. Additional funding is provided by the Tournesol Project and Bank of America.

ABOUT THE GROUND FLOOR

The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work seeks to enhance and expand the processes by which Berkeley Rep makes theatre. We strive to offer the most flexible environment possible for artists to come together and share ideas in person, to receive customized support on each individual project and to work together across disciplines. We will maintain an ongoing conversation with our audience and community about the work we are creating, and we will champion the spirit of innovation so inherent to Berkeley and the Bay Area.

For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.