Theatre of the Oppressed NYC Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant
Grant to support the Homeless Youth Forum Theatre Project. 

NEW YORK, NY— National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that Theatre of the Oppressed NYC is one of 886 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. Theatre of the Oppressed NYC is recommended for a grant to support the 2014/2015 Homeless Youth Forum Theatre Project. 

The program will be conducted in partnership with community‐based organizations serving homeless youth, including Covenant House, Ali Forney Center, and The Door. Participants will be trained to use Forum Theatre, a technique that invites audience members onstage to experiment with responses to the conflicts depicted in the plays. Troupes of young people will create and perform original works of interactive theater based on their own life experiences. 

NEA Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, "The NEA is pleased to announce that Theatre of the Oppressed NYC is recommended for an NEA Art Works grant. These NEA-supported projects will not only have a positive impact on local economies, but will also provide opportunities for people of all ages to participate in the arts, help our communities to become more vibrant, and support our nation's artists as they contribute to our cultural landscape."

Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts.  The NEA received 1,515 eligible applications under the Art Works category, requesting more than $76 million in funding. Of those applications, 886 are recommended for grants for a total of $25.8 million.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.