The Sheldon Receives Mid-America Arts Alliance Grant to Support Jazz Performances, Education

The Sheldon is pleased to announce that it is among a select group of regional presenters chosen to receive a new Mid-America Arts Alliance grant to support "Community Engagement with Touring Artists" (CETA).

This award will support performances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, October 3; Nicholas Payton, November 7; Eliane Elias, January 23; Cyrus Chestnut, April 10; and Steve Tyrell, May 1. KWMU radio host Dennis Owsley will present talks on jazz to community groups in three outlying Missouri
and Illinois towns, as well as pre-concert talks beginning at 7:10 on the evening of each jazz concert at the Sheldon Concert Hall, designed to introduce new audiences to jazz and deepen the impact of the touring artists' appearances.

Dennis Owsley's pre-concert talks at 7:10 pm in the Sheldon Concert Hall will
be: October 3: "The Triumph of Billie Holiday" - prior to Dee Dee Bridgewater concert

November 7: "The New
Orleans and St. Louis Trumpet Tradition" -
prior to Nicholas Payton concert

January 23: "The Lure of Latin
Jazz" - prior to Eliane Elias concert

April 10:
"Jazz Piano Giants" - prior to Cyrus Chestnut concert

May 1:
"The Great American Songbook" - prior to Steve Tyrell concert

Funding for The Sheldon's Mid-America Arts Alliance grant is drawn from generous underwriting by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Missouri Arts Council, and foundations, corporations, and individuals throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Mid-America Arts Alliance, the nation's oldest regional arts organization, was founded in 1972 to foster cultural growth in heartland communities. Today, Mid-America Arts primarily serves communities throughout Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, and it develops and delivers arts and humanities programs for a national audience. Mid-America programs attract more than one million people annually in more than 300 communities.

For more information on The Sheldon contact Chris Peimann at 314-533-9900 ext. 19 or visit http://www.thesheldon.org/.

For more information about Mid-America Arts Alliance, visit www.maaa.org.