National Endowment for the Arts FY 2017 Fall Grant Announcement

To support the residency and collaboration of pianist Simone Dinnerstein with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra.
Interactive performances of J.S. Bach's "Inventions" will be held for up to five Title I elementary public schools to
connect the music of Bach to jazz, rap, techno, and other contemporary music. A culminating event will include
a rehearsal and performance of Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 21 and 23, to contribute to the musical education
of a diverse population of students and their families who reside in an economically underserved area.
Fairfield University
$10,000 Fairfield, CT
To support "War Stories," a performance work to be created with homeless veterans by a collaborative team
comprising a writer, a visual artist, and a theater-maker. The original work will aim to stimulate dialogue for new
stories and narratives while creating awareness and understanding for the veterans and the audience. The
veterans will come from the Applied Behavioral Rehabilitation Institute/Homes for the Brave, and will audition
for parts in the production as well as workshop artistic projects under the facilitation of guest visual artist, Nina
Bentley. The culminating event will be a final, public performance of "War Stories."
First Coast Opera, Inc.
$10,000 Saint Augustine, FL
To support the performances of two one-act operas, "The Trial of B.B. Wolf" and "Trial by Jury." Guest artist
Nelson Sheeley will direct the performances during a two-week residency, and lead public workshops on
playwriting, libretto development, and stage auditions. The culminating event will be a two-performance run of
the double-bill production. The expected audience includes the underserved population of northeast Florida -
including the rural, inland counties.
Fisterra Projects (aka Fisterra Studio)
$10,000 Austin, TX
To support the creation of a multimedia, interactive, community-based public art work project in Bryan and
College Station, Texas. A collaboration with Texas A&M University's Department of Architecture's Diversity
Council, the project will geo-locate the community's emotions and memories about the surrounding area.
Participants will answer survey questions that correspond to strong emotional experiences in specific
neighborhood areas. This data will be turned into maps and artworks that reveal a sense of belonging and
attachment to the area. The communities to be reached are those that are underserved and at-risk, including
areas in poverty and social fragmentation.
Friends of the Minnesota Sinfonia (aka Minnesota Sinfonia)
$10,000 Minneapolis, MN
To support a performance by violinist Itamar Zorman. The performance will include the debut of a new work by
a Minnesota-based composer. Additional activities will include a master class, public radio interview, and meetand-greet
sessions with audience members. The targeted audience will consist of a predominantly minority
population that is not currently served by the region's other professional orchestras.
Frostburg State University (On behalf of CES)
$10,000 Frostburg, MD
To support a residency by the Tibetan Monks of Drepung Loseling Mosastery. A public performance of "Sacred
Music Sacred Dance" will combine chanting, music, and dance aiming to promote world healing. The residency
will include the public creation of a traditional Mondala Sand Painting. Live footage of the process will be
available online and then transformed into a time-lapse video. The theme of the mandala will be selected by
community members through a public survey. Additional residency activities will include supporting lectures and
Some details of the projects listed are subject to change, contingent upon prior Arts Endowment approval. Information is current as of
December 7, 2016.