CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A dozen cultural
and arts nonprofit organizations in North
Carolina are receiving $524,500 in grants from the Duke Energy
Foundation to support arts appreciation and educational programs
that foster community vitality.
"Arts and cultural programs unite the diverse communities we're
fortunate to serve," said David
Fountain, Duke Energy's North
Carolina president. "Encouraging an appreciation for the
arts and culture is a passion of Duke Energy, and we're proud of
our partners who are doing just that through various initiatives
across the state."
The grants, from the Duke Energy Foundation, will help enhance
arts, music, cultural and professional development programs,
allowing the organizations to continue strengthening and expanding
their work within our communities. Piedmont Natural Gas, whose
grant-making process is now part of the Duke Energy Foundation,
contributed to several of the grants to help support the vibrancy
of North Carolina.
"Duke Energy has long understood the value of community
involvement in the arts," said Eleanor
Oakley, president and CEO of the United Arts Council of
Raleigh and Wake County. "Their support has allowed us to
continue our large Artists in the Schools program in Wake County schools, as well as institute a
Wheels on the Bus fund for our low-income schools, ensuring that
their students may travel to an arts and cultural facility at least
once a year. We are proud to work with the Foundation on these
efforts."
The following organizations are receiving grants to strengthen
arts and cultural initiatives in North
Carolina.
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center – $15,000 for the Duke Energy Ticket Scholarship
Fund, which provides tickets to underserved youth and families in
partnership with other Charlotte-area nonprofit organizations.
Carolina Ballet – $150,000
for the 2017-2018 season and Arts Access Initiative, which allows
the ballet company to offer affordable performances and continue
providing complimentary and discounted tickets to people who
wouldn't otherwise be able to attend performances.
Central Park NC – $10,000
to expand creative and entrepreneurial arts and culture programming
to reach additional students and lifelong learners.
Durham Arts Council – $15,000 for the Creating Community through the
Arts initiative, which supports classes, artist residencies and
exhibits. The program serves more than 900,000 participants,
provides more than 1,000 jobs and has a collective economic impact
exceeding $125 million annually.
Mint Museum – $14,000 to
support cultural outreach programming in Charlotte. Bilingual Stories & Music on
Wheels and Masters Art Classes on Wheels offer unique early
childhood learning opportunities at no or low cost, with enhanced
accessibility, addressing transportation and/or financial
barriers.
North Carolina Museum of History Foundation –
$20,000 to support field trips to the
museum for public school students in the central and eastern parts
of the state.
North Carolina Opera –
$50,000 to support the upcoming
season, Opera in the Schools programs and adult engagement
projects.
North Carolina Symphony – $150,000 for the Statewide Music Education
Sustainer, which provides music education to more than 60,000
schoolchildren annually in 31 counties, many of which are rural and
under-resourced areas with limited access to the arts.
North Carolina Theatre – $30,000 for Program Excellence and project
support featuring the mainstage show A Night with Janis Joplin. The program impacts more than
5,000 young people throughout Durham, Orange and Wake counties with a combination of training,
performances and education/outreach activities.
United Arts Council of Greater
Greensboro – $27,000 for
the 2017 Community Arts Education and Access Program to improve
access to the arts, increase arts education initiatives and fuel
economic development in local communities. In addition, grants will
be used for artistic programming to present the National Folk
Festival, which attracts a diverse audience to the Greensboro area.
United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake
County – $18,500 for the
Artists in Schools Program, which places professional teaching
artists in Wake County schools for
curriculum-based performances, residencies and workshops. With a
goal to expose as many K-12 students as possible to the arts, this
project involves 142 schools, reaching 152,000 students
annually.
Winston-Salem Arts Council – $25,000 to help regional artists with projects
that support professional growth and ensure the arts serve a
diverse and wide-reaching population.
Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation
provides philanthropic support to address the needs of the
communities where its customers live and work. The Foundation
provides more than $30 million
annually in charitable gifts. The Foundation's education focus
spans kindergarten to career, particularly science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM), early childhood literacy and workforce
development. It also supports the environment and community impact
initiatives, including arts and culture.
Duke Energy employees and retirees actively contribute to their
communities as volunteers and leaders at a wide variety of
nonprofit organizations. Duke Energy is committed to building on
its legacy of community service. For more information,
visit duke-energy.com/foundation.
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the
company is available at duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for
journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and
videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online
destination for stories about people, innovations, and community
and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and
insights into the future of energy.
Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and
Facebook.
Contact: Grace Rountree
Office: 919.546.2557 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy