Grand Performances Receives $300,000 Latin American and Central/East Asian Artists Presentation Grant from The James Irvine Foundation

Los Angeles, CA, February 09, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Grand Performances has received a major $300,000 three-year grant from The James Irvine Foundation. This is important support for Grand Performances’ commitment to the presentation of performance and residency activities by performing artists from Latin America and Central/Eastern Asia.

This grant gives Grand Performances the resources to continue the development of programs that promote cross-ethnic understanding and encourages recent immigrants to become more engaged in Los Angeles community life by presenting artists from their home countries on an established stage. It also allows for an increased collaboration with local arts organizations in order to expand cross-cultural communication and contribute to the artistic growth of both the touring and local artists working in related genres.

In each of the next three seasons, Grand Performances will present two to five free public performances of contemporary and traditional Latin America and Central/Eastern Asia art forms not normally seen in the United States. These companies/artists will also participate in extended residencies that will include increased public performance opportunities, master classes, and other outreach programs hosted by Grand Performances.

“The James Irvine Foundation’s grant confirms the importance of our arts organization to Los Angeles,” states Michael Alexander, Executive Director of Grand Performances. “For over 20 years, our organization has endeavored to provide Southern Californians with the most culturally diverse and inclusive representations of global dance, music and theater. We are proud to receive this grant which supports our efforts to enhance the city’s rich and diverse cultural life.”

Grand Performances produces a nationally recognized free concert program that was initially conceived by the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency in 1987. It has grown with the ongoing support from California Plaza’s corporate owners (Maguire Properties and the Omni Hotel Los Angeles) and a broad array of corporate sponsors, private donors, foundations and government arts funding agencies. It now has a $1.7 million operating budget and an eye-popping lineup of local and international performing artists.

As a result, thousands of people who might never visit downtown, and thousands who might never see live performances, are coming to California Plaza, Grand Performances’ home base, to experience dance, music and theater.

The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful, and inclusive society. The Foundation’s grantmaking is organized around three program areas: Arts, Youth and California perspectives, which focuses on improving decision making on significant state issues. Since 1937 the Foundation has provided over $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California. With current assets of over $1.8 billion, the Foundation expects to make grants of $81 million in 2008 for the people of California.

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