press room

For Immediate Release

Washington, DC—July 12, 2004—Americans for the Arts and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, two of the nation's most influential arts organizations whose members are responsible for distributing nearly two billion dollars in public funding for the arts, announce the recipients of full scholarships, including travel and lodging, to its second joint convention.  The scholarship winners were selected on a competitive basis and presented to ten emerging leaders and ten arts leaders working in underserved communities.  The scholarships provide an opportunity for young professionals and those working in underserved communities to network with peers, gain professional development at workshops, and bring new ideas and skills back to the communities they serve.

The Americans for the Arts and NASAA joint convention–called pARTicipate 2004–will be held in Washington, DC from July 17-20.  Accommodations for the scholarship recipients were provided by the convention site, the Omni Shoreham Hotel, and airfare was provided by US Airways.  This year's scholarship winners are as follows:

Emerging Leader Convention Scholarship Recipients

• Anna Blyth, Multidisciplinary Arts Coordinator; New Mexico Arts–Santa Fe, NM
• Naomi Celestin, Community Education Coordinator; Acadiana Arts Council–Lafayette, LA
• Janalee Farr, Artist Endowment Coordinator/ International Cultural Affairs; Utah Arts Council–Salt Lake City, UT
• Shannon Ford, Assistant to the Executive Director; Ohio Arts Council–Columbus, OH
• Uday Joshi, Project 2050 Coordinator Director; New World Theatre–Amherst, MA
• Alison Loveday, Resource Director; Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies–Ann Arbor, MI
• Lisa May Simpson, Development & Membership Associate; Illinois Arts Alliance–Chicago, IL
• Charlotte Smith, Arts in Education Coordinator; Watauga County Arts Council–Boone, NC
• Emma J. White, Director of Communications; The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts–Washington, DC
• Bethany L. Widrich, Arts Services Coordinator; Middlesex County Cultural & Heritage Commission–New Brunswick, NJ
  

Underserved Community Convention Scholarship Recipients

• Terri Aldrich, Executive Director; Minot Area Council of the Arts–Minot, ND
• Linda Anderson, Executive Director; Dahl Arts Center–Rapid City, SD
• Lillian Cho, Executive Director; Asian American Arts Alliance–New York, NY
• Fay Ann Chun, Community Arts Coordinator; Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts–Honolulu, HI
• Amy Johnson Bassford, Executive Director; Dona Ana Arts Council–Las Cruces, NM
• David Kauffman, Coordinator; Maryland Mountain Arts Network–Cumberland, MD
• Jennifer Madriaga, Executive Director; Vance County Arts Council–Henderson, NC
• Jennifer A. Reis, Director, Gallery & Arts Council; Morehead State University–Morehead, KY
• Mayumi Tsutakawa, Arts Program Manager; Washington State Arts Commission–Seattle, WA
• Amy Wynn, Executive Director; Northwest Connecticut Arts Council–Torrington, CT

Americans for the Arts will also provide support for 42 community arts leaders to attend the convention through $500 expense reimbursement scholarships.  For a complete list of scholarship recipients, please visit the scholarship section of the pARTicipate web site.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 40 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

Founded in 1968, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) is the membership organization that unites, represents, and serves the nation's state and jurisdictional arts agencies. NASAA's mission is to advance and promote a meaningful role for the arts in the lives of individuals, families, and communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.nasaa-arts.org.

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