Grant to WTC allows for free performance of ensemble

The National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $27 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019. Included in this announcement is a Challenge America grant of $10,000 to the Whitefish Theatre Company to host the award-winning a cappella ensemble Women of the World on March 22.

Challenge America grants support projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations — those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

“The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal, and to celebrate,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the NEA.

Women of the World is an internationally touring, award-winning a cappella quartet who performs folk and traditional music, often with a contemporary twist, in 32 of the world’s languages. The band will perform a free concert for underserved youth in the afternoon, while the public is invited to purchase tickets to their evening performance on March 22.

“With the generous support of the National Endowment of the Arts, the Whitefish Theatre Company is thrilled to be able to bring Women of the World to the Flathead Valley,” says WTC Executive Director Gayle MacLaren. “Not only will the evening concert be a unique night of exceptional world music for our community, but it is exciting to be able to offer a free outreach concert to local students who may not have the means or opportunity to see this type of live music.”

For more information on this National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news. To purchase tickets to the evening performance, call the WTC box office at 862-5371 or buy online at www.whitefishtheatreco.org.