Wayne College Awarded National Endowment For The Arts Grant

$10,000 grant will support annual Shakespeare Festival
The University of Akron Wayne College has been approved for a grant of $10,000 to support its annual Shakespeare Festival. Wayne College is one of 1,057 not-for-profit organizations recommended for the award as part of the federal agency’s first round of fiscal year 2011 grants. In total, the Arts Endowment will distribute $26.68 million to support projects nationwide.

An independent agency of the federal government, the National Endowment for the Arts advances artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities.
 
The 2011 Shakespeare Festival at Wayne College is scheduled for Nov. 4-5 and will be the thirteenth year the College has brought the professional performing troupe American Shakespeare Center on Tour, to Orrville.  The Almost Blasphemy Tour 2011 showcases the timeless classics A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Friday and A Winter’s Tale on Saturday. Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Life Building at the College. The schedule includes a Friday matinee for area high school students followed by workshops that teach staging conditions and other elements that are specific to Shakespeare.  Thanks to the NEA grant and support of other donors, the College is able to offer these workshops free of charge.   

Kevin Engle, assistant to the dean at Wayne College says, “We are delighted to receive this grant for the third time in four years. This grant, along with funds from our generous local sponsors, helps bring the American Shakespeare Center on Tour to our campus and community. This troupe is one of the nation’s top Shakespeare performers and we are honored to have them perform at our festival every year.”

Tickets go on sale September 1. Information will be available online at www.wayne.uakron.edu. For more information on the American Shakespeare Center visit www.americanshakespearecenter.com.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government that has awarded more than $4 billion on projects of artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.  To join the discussion on how art works, visit the National Endowment for the Arts at www.arts.gov.

Wayne College is a regional campus of The University of Akron and offers the first two years of general bachelor’s degree courses for students who plan to complete their degrees at the Akron campus or other colleges and universities.  This fall, the College is also offering a Bachelor of Organizational Supervision and a Master of Business Administration.