That Uppity Theatre Company - Press and Press Releases

News 4 Coverage: The Ethical Society of St. Louis handed out its humanist of the year award April 15th, 2007The Ethical Society of St. Louis handed out its humanist of the year award. The 31st annual award went to playwright and activist, Joan Lipkin. She is the founder and artistic director of "That Uppity Theatre Company." Lipkin's work focuses on helping audiences understand diversity.
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Ceremony at 11 a.m., Sunday, April 15 at the Ethical Society

St. Louis, Mo (March 9, 2007) - Playwright Joan Lipkin has been named the 2007 Ethical Humanist of the Year by the Ethical Society of St. Louis. Joan Lipkin will be honored in an award ceremony and reception at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 15, at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. The event is free and open to the public. The event will include introductions by a number of St. Louis luminaries, including Jill Maguire, executive director of the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission as well as music and short performances from some of Lipkin's projects. Lipkin will also give a brief talk on the role of art in creating a more civil society.

A playwright, director, teacher, activist and social critic, Lipkin has established several theater groups, including That Uppity Theatre Company and the DisAbility Project. Her work is devoted to creatively portraying the life dimensions of everyday people, including the lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, gay and questioning (LBTGQ) population, cancer survivors, those with disabilities, the indigent and racial or cultural minorities. More information about her work can be found at www.uppitycom.com.

Lipkin puts the principles of cultural diversity and social justice into innovative theatrical practice as she collaborates with many underrepresented populations. Her works include “After Rodney,” which followed news coverage of the mid-1990’s beating of Rodney King, “Some of My Best Friends Are…“the first gay and lesbian review produced in St. Louis, and many others. Her plays have been performed in several U.S. cities as well as in Canada,

England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia. Lipkin is also a mentor for those in arts administration, marketing, grant writing, play-writing, directing, and promoting social justice. She is passionate about involving others in the arts and has introduced many to acting and theater.

“Joan Lipkin was chosen for this award from a field of 10 exceptional nominees. All aspects of her art are imbued with humanist values and devoted to promoting social justice,” said Kayla Vaughan, chair of the Ethical Humanist of the Year Committee. “She is a performance/theater artist whose creative work helps these important messages become part of our public discourse.”

In October, Lipkin received the Frederick A Laas Award from the Missouri Citizens for the Arts for her outstanding work in the area of arts education and arts advocacy for all.

The James F. Hornback Ethical Humanist of the Year Award was established in 1976 to honor individuals or organizations for outstanding work in improving the human condition. Past recipients have included Harriett Woods, the International Institute, Frank Susman, Blanche Touhill, Dr. Suzsanne Singer, Ann Carter Stith, Dr. Fred Rottnek and the ACLU/Eastern Division among many other distinguished individuals and organizations.

The Ethical Society of St. Louis is a humanistic religious community dedicated to bringing out the best in the human spirit. For more information on the Ethical Society, please visit the website at www.ethicalstl.org or call (314) 991-0955.

Joan Lipkin, Innovative Playwright/Director and Social Activist
Named 2007 Ethical Humanist by the Ethical Society

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Diane Kline
Director of Marketing
(314) 863-5811
[email protected]
Joan Lipkin, Innovative Playwright/Director and Social Activist Named 2007 Ethical Humanist by the Ethical Society
Lipkin’s work speaks for disenfranchised groups including the disabled, gay teenagers, blind children and people with Alzheimer’s
ST. LOUIS (March 27, 2007) – In St. Louis, Joan Lipkin’s name is synonymous with creativity, empathic caring, and, yes, righteous indignation. Even the name of the organization she founded and runs – That Uppity Theatre Company – speaks to her sense of humor and self-effacement. The petite brunette with soft curls framing her face is anything but “uppity.” But she will get up on her high horse to tackle the serious issues of contemporary society and get in the face of an audience to tell the stories of groups that can’t speak for themselves: Dancers with multiple sclerosis who perform gracefully from their wheel chairs. Gays sharing their painful and humorous stories of coming out to families and friends. Blind children expanding their sense of movement by performing hip hop versions of songs from traditional musicals. “People with certain challenges feel very isolated,” Lipkin explains. “When they create art together they become part of a community. And in performing, they speak to a wider audience that can then understand what their lives are about.” Her latest effort is a case in point. Lipkin created The Think Tank Players at the Cardinal Ritter Adult Day Care Center for people with early-onset Alzheimer’s and dementia. By acting out such scenes as the Lewis and Clark Expedition or even a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game, they become more energized and engaged with the real world. “Our performers learn they can be playful, laugh, have fun and find new aspects of their creativity which they may have not explored,” Lipkin says. A group of The Think Tank Players will perform on Friday, April 20 at the Alzheimer’s Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at the Heights. While beloved by the groups she serves and appreciated for her multiple talents by the arts community, she is now being honored further for her efforts. Lipkin is the first producer and director to be given the James F. Honrback Ethical Humanist of the Year Award. During the ceremony at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 15 at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road, her work will be applauded by a variety of speakers, including Fran Cohen, co-founder of the DisAbility Project and Jill McGuire, executive director of the Regional Arts Commission (RAC). RAC and McGuire have supported Lipkin’s mission for almost 20 years. “Joan is a powerful force – a true original whose energy and talent has influenced the thinking of many people in this town. Her success demonstrates that the arts are an important arena in which to address social issues in our society and to change attitudes and lives,” McGuire explained. The Ethical Humanist award was established in 1976 to honor individuals or organizations for outstanding work in improving the human condition. Lipkin now joins the ranks of such illustrious regional leaders as Harriett Woods, Frank Susman, Blanche Touhill, Dr. Suzanne Singer and Ann Carter Stith. Lipkin also was honored in October with the 2006 Frederick H. Laat Memorial Award from the Missouri Citizens for the Arts, in recognition for contributions to people of diverse backgrounds, without discrimination of any kind. For more information about Joan Lipkin or her award visit www.uppityco.com or www.ethicalstl.org. About The Regional Arts Commission: Founded in 1985, the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) is a cultural catalyst in the St. Louis area, providing financial, technical, promotional and other support for arts organizations. Directed by a board of fifteen commissioners appointed by the chief executives of St. Louis City and County, RAC is a pivotal force in the continuing development and marketing of the arts in the region. This year, 218 of the area’s arts organizations, consortiums and cultural programs, large and small, received grant awards totaling more than $3.4 million, funded by a portion of the hotel/motel room sales tax. RAC’s four-story facility including the area’s first Cultural Resource Center is located at 6128 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, Mo., 63112 in the exciting new stretch of The Loop neighborhood. Contact the organization by calling (314) 863-5811 or by visiting www.art-stl.com. ###

This Report by Kati Stovall Aired on KMOV Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Close your eyes and enter a room, you hear a director yell out to a cast, “Move stage left, move forward, 5, 6, 7,8…!” You swear that you are at a rehearsal for the Chorus Line at the Repertory Theater, but when you open your eyes, what you imagined is different. The ensemble is the DisAbilty Project, which encompasses both disabled and able-bodied actors. The project exudes raw talent, creates a theatrical vision through word and movement and changes your perspective on life forever....

Theater project has ability to promote laughter, understanding
by Kati Stovall

Close your eyes and enter the room. You hear a director yell out to the cast, “Move stage left, move forward, 5, 6, 7, 8 … !”

You swear that you are at a rehearsal for “A Chorus Line” at the Repertory Theater, but when you open your eyes, the scene is different than what you imagined. The ensemble is the DisAbilty Project, which encompasses both disabled and able-bodied actors. The project exudes raw talent, creates a theatrical vision through word and movement and changes your perspective on life forever.... <more>

Candlelight Vigil in Memory of Lisi Bansen
Thursday, November 2, 2006 at 6:00pm
2600 Block of Delmar
(Between Jefferson and Beaumont)

Lisi Bansen passed away after being hit by a car on November 2, 2005 near the corner of Delmar and Jefferson. Lisi was an active and vital member of the community in St. Louis and she continually strove to make it better for everyone. Her work with the Missouri AmeriCorps, Metro
Co-housing, and the DisAbility Project was a testament to this. The sidewalks near where she lived are not accessible, forcing her to use her manual wheelchair in the street. This is what led to her untimely death, and it is particularly tragic because the ADA, which was passed more than 15 years before the accident, mandates that sidewalks must be accessible to everyone. This sidewalk is still not in compliance.

In order to honor Lisi's memory and bring attention to this ongoing problem, at the same location, one year later, a vigil is being planned for November 2 at 6:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

For additional information, contact Andrew Lackey
[email protected], 314/289-4316 (voice) or 314/289-4252.

Seminar on hiring the disabled planned

St. Louis-area businesses will be able to get information about hiring individuals with disabilities during Disability Mentoring Day, an event to be held Oct. 18 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel.

Disability Mentoring Day is a project of the Missouri Business Leadership Network (MOBLN), an organization that creates partnerships among people with disabilities, private businesses, and governmental and community agencies.

The event is geared to help employers develop contacts with leaders of the disability community, and receive advice on how to recruit individuals with disabilities, according to a release. Individuals with disabilities make up one-fifth of the U.S. population, making them the single largest minority in the nation, the release said.

The event will run from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Oct. 18. The Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel is located at 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in St. Louis County.

Disability Mentoring Day Aims to Pair
Area Businesses With Potential Employees

Given the volatility of the job market in recent years, employers and employees alike are eager for stability. Central to this is the ability of businesses to attract and retain qualified employees. The solution to their staffing dilemmas may be closer than they think.

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel, will host Disability Mentoring Day, an event that aims to provide area businesses with information about the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities.

Today, individuals with disabilities make up one-fifth of the U.S. population, making them the single largest and most diverse minority in the nation. They also represent a major - but often untapped - source of qualified job candidates.

Research suggests that employers are missing a golden opportunity to hire well-trained, qualified people who bring to the job unsurpassed loyalty, dedication and commitment. Aside from having equal or higher performance ratings compared to workers without disabilities, workers with disabilities have the lowest attrition rates of any employee group in the country.

Disability Mentoring Day also will help employers develop contacts with leaders of the disability community. The day’s activities will include real-world advice on how to recruit individuals with disabilities.

For students and job seekers, Disability Mentoring Day will provide an opportunity to learn more about companies and organizations in the St. Louis area and to develop mentor relationships. Students also will be exposed to new career paths and will learn about target skills for improvement.

Attendees of Disability Mentoring Day will be treated to a performance by The DisAbility Project, a performance-art ensemble that shines a spotlight on the culture of disability.

Disability Mentoring Day is a project of the Missouri Business Leadership Network (MOBLN), an organization that champions opportunities to create productive and supportive partnerships among people with disabilities, private businesses, and governmental and community agencies.

For more information, contact Linda Baker, a local disability program specialist, at 314.821.7151.

Joan Lipkin named as recipient of the Missouri Citizens for the Arts' (MCA) 2006 Frederick H. Laas Memorial Award in recognition of her strong commitment to arts education in Missouri. MCA established the Frederick H. Laas Memorial Award in 2002, recognizing those within the state who provide artistic opportunities to all, without discrimination of any kind.

The award ceremony and reception will begin at 5 PM on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 at the Perlow-Stevens Gallery, 812 E. Broadway, in Columbia. Missouri Arts Council members, MCA Board members, legislators and representatives of arts organizations across the state will also attend this ceremony.

Theater companies talk politics

By Judith Newmark
POST-DISPATCH THEATER CRITIC
Sunday, Aug. 13 2006
Nine theater companies have teamed up to mount the first St. Louis Political
Theatre Festival, which will play at venues around town from now through the
elections in November.

Scott Miller, the artistic director of New Line Theatre, started the festival
ball rolling months ago. "Theater is a legitimate way to talk about politics,"
he said. "We want to get people to recognize that."
It is not a festival in any of the more familiar senses. The productions are
spread out geographically and over time; there's no festival ticket or discount.
All the productions will use the festival's red, white and blue logo, however.
The New Line Web site, www.newlinetheatre.com, also includes information on the
festival.

Miller said the real connection among the productions - which actually extend a
little past the elections - is content. All the plays deal with politics in one
way or another, he said.

In some cases, the connections are easy to see. That Uppity Theatre Company,
for example, has always stood for explicitly political viewpoints, particularly
in regard to civil rights for gay people, and presumably will continue to make
its case in "Coming Out Stories: An Interactive Event."
On the other hand, Moliere's "Tartuffe," the festival entry from Stray Dog
Theatre, has been staged countless times over the past 350-odd years, and
probably few people in any of those audiences thought they were seeing a
"political play."

However, Miller said, that reinforces the point, because it demonstrates the
fundamentally political nature of all theater. The author of a number of books
on American theater history, Miller observed that explicitly political theater
has a long history, from ancient Greece to Elizabethan England to the Great
Depression to the anti-Establishment plays of the late 1960s and '70s.
"The times of greatest tumult are also the times of the greatest theater," he
wrote, saying that "theater often tackles the biggest issues of our times, with
enormous power and better than any other art form."

The festival probably tends toward the "blue" end of the political spectrum but
in many respects is nonpartisan, he said.
"We want to get people to recognize what politics means to them. I at least
hope it makes them say, 'I really have to vote.'"

'MOments: I Am
What You Are'
Washington Avenue Players Project
When: Thursday-Aug. 19
Where: ArtLoft Theatre, 1529 Washington Avenue
More info: 314-534-1111; www.thewapp.com

'American Buffalo'
NonProphet Theater Company
When: Thursday-Aug 27
Where: Wolfson Studio Theatre, Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone
Campus Drive
More info: 314-752-5075; www.nptco.org

'Troilus and Cressida'
St. Louis Shakespeare
When: Sept. 1-10
Where: Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square
More info: 314-534-1111; www.stlshakespeare.org

'Touch the Names'
Soundstage Productions
When: Sept. 17
Where: The Heights, 8001 Dale Avenue
More info: 314-968-8070; www.soundstageproductions.net

'Tartuffe'
Stray Dog Theatre
When: Oct. 5-22
Where: The Little Theatre, 1 Mark Twain Circle
More info: 314-865-1995; www.straydogtheatre.org

'Bold Girls'
The Orange Girls
When: Oct. 6-22
Where: Anheuser-Busch Studio Theatre at the Center of Creative Arts,
524 Trinity Avenue
More info: 314-520-9557; www.orangegirls.org

'Coming Out Stories:
An Interactive Event'
That Uppity Theatre Company and Playback Workshop Theatre
When: Oct. 11
Where: TBA
More info: 314-995-4600; www.uppityco.com

'Johnny Appleweed'
New Line Theatre
When: Oct. 12-Nov. 4
Where: ArtLoft Theatre
More info: 314-534-1111; www.newlinetheatre.com

'Girl Gone'
NonProphet Theater Company
When: Oct. 19-29
Where: Wolfson Studio Theatre
More info: 314-752-5075; www.nptco.org

'Sonnets for an
Old Century'
Off Center Theatre's Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
When: Dec. 7-17
Where: TBA
More info: 314-322-8850; www.slightlyoff.org

That Uppity Theatre Co. receives Reeve grant

St. Louis Business Journal - July 12, 2006

That Uppity Theatre Co. received a $10,000 grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation, the foundation said Monday. The foundation awarded $850,439 in grants to 139 nonprofit organizations around the world as part of its Quality of Life program.

Since 1999, The Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF) has awarded 1,073 grants totaling more than $8.5 million.

Grantees in this cycle include many organizations that the organization's founder, the late Dana Reeve, had recognized as remarkable programs in past cycles, according to a release. These include That Uppity Theatre Co. in St. Louis, VSA arts in Washington, D.C., and Special Needs Advocates for Parents in Los Angeles.

This cycle's largest grant -- $25,000 -- was awarded to the Miami-Dade County Public School system for an inclusive, community-based recreational program for students with disabilities. Exact amounts of the other grants were not disclosed in a release, and officials of the nonprofits could not be reached for comment.

The CRF Quality of Life grants are awarded to programs or projects that improve the well-being of people living with paralysis, particularly spinal cord injuries. Funding is awarded twice annually in 13 categories.

The Christopher Reeve Foundation, based in Short Hills, N.J., is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.

That Uppity Theatre Co., based in St. Louis, develops and produces socially relevant theatrical work and related cultural activities.

VSA arts, a not-for-profit disabilities-advocate group, and MetLife Foundation recently awarded “Arts Connect All” grants to 11 arts organizations across the country. They commended groups for partnering with public schools in programs that develop students’ social, cognitive and artistic skills in an inclusive, accessible way.
Read Entire Article Here

Suburban Journals - West County Journal
Actors raise students' disability awareness
By Kate Miller
Of the Suburban Journals ~ West County Journal
03/02/2003

Students at Ladue Horton Watkins High School saw a performance of The DisAbility Project and brought the theater troop to the school Wednesday to spread awareness about the challenges facing people with disabilities.

That Pioneering Theatre Company Is More Than Uppity
In The Spotlight
Corey Stulce

Joan Lipkin is hardly arrogant, even if her theatre company's namesake implies it. In fact, as the Fairy Godmother to St. Louis' alternative theatre scene, she's more "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" than "Uppity."

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Gay arts, culture in St. Louis have come a long way, baby
By Diane Toroian
Sunday, June 16, 2002
Of The Post-Dispatch

PrideFest may rate as the biggest event for gays in St. Louis, but it is no longer the only one.

On Tuesday, for example, the Sheldon hosts a cabaret produced by gay playwright Chris Jackson. Two days later, Mostly Harmless Theatre will stage "The Laramie Project," which explores the murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard. And next weekend, local production company Wired Woman will stage a Pride Dance.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial
Commentary : A survivor's tale
By Joan Lipkin
Sunday, October 15, 2000

I remember when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer. I was 42, and I was terrified. With my overactive playwright's imagination, I was already writing the obituary in my mind. At the time, I knew very few women who had had breast cancer, certainly not my age, and I imagined the worst. Four years later, I am still here. Like the 1985 Toyota I insist on driving, I am slightly dented and a little slower, but still on the road.

Read Entire Article Here

> Press Releases

Rebecca Sastry (573) 875-2872- VSA arts of Missouri
Joan Lipkin (314) 534-1454 - That Uppity Theatre Company

VSA arts and MetLife Foundation Award That Uppity Theatre Company an “Arts Connect All” Grant
That Uppity Theatre Company advances inclusive education program for students with disabilities

ST. LOUIS, MO., [DATE] -- VSA arts and MetLife Foundation announced that they have awarded That Uppity Theatre Company an “Arts Connect All” grant. That Uppity Theatre Company is one of eleven arts organizations to receive “Arts Connect All” grants for programs that create or enhance inclusive, accessible education programming with public schools. VSA arts is an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

That Uppity Theatre Company will receive a grant of $5,000 for "Playwright Discovery Program," a residency program that challenges high school students to take a closer look at the world around them, examine how disability affects their lives and the lives of others, and express their views through the art of writing a play.

"We are thrilled to partner with MetLife and VSA arts Missouri on the ‘Playwright Discovery Program’ and are especially honored as the only recipient of an ‘Arts Connect All’ grant in the state of Missouri. This award will make it possible for us to continue with this important project next year,” said Joan Lipkin, Founder and Artistic Director of That Uppity Theatre Company. Founded inn1989, Uppity specializes in developing work with marginalized populations, including people with disabilities, LGBT youth, and women with cancer.

“We are currently completing our second year with the program. The first year, we worked with Hancock Middle School and this year, we are working with Roosevelt High School. We have chosen to work with public schools in which there is a demonstrated need for our work to supplement the curriculum. It has been gratifying to watch the students tap into their creativity and to make connections between disability and other challenges.

“I would like to extend my thanks to Sarah Shimchick, the Assistant Director of That Uppity Theatre Company and Jackie Masei, an Artistic Associate with the company, who have team-taught the project this year and have done an outstanding job,” said Lipkin. To learn more about That Uppity Theatre Company’s DisAbility Project, visit www.disabilityproject.com.

VSA arts and MetLife Foundation have worked together for eight years to increase access to the arts for people with disabilities. This initiative, in its second year, was created to recognize best practices and encourage arts organizations throughout the country to partner with public schools to develop integrated educational programs for development of students’ social, cognitive, and artistic skills through arts learning.

“VSA arts is proud to continue this successful partnership with MetLife Foundation in supporting inclusive arts programs in communities.” said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. “The excellent programs selected this year offer students with and without disabilities a wide range of creative and innovative experiences.”

“MetLife Foundation is committed to making arts more accessible for everyone,” stated Sibyl Jacobson, president & CEO of MetLife Foundation. “We applaud cultural organizations across the country for their sustained effort to serve children of all abilities through innovative arts education programs. And this year’s winning programs demonstrate once again the positive impact the arts can have in children’s lives,” continued Jacobson.

About MetLife Foundation

was established by MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants are made to support health, educational, civic and cultural organizations and programs throughout the country. Recognizing the vital role the arts play in building communities and educating young people, MetLife Foundation contributes to the arts and culture by focusing on increasing opportunities for young people, reaching broader audiences through inclusive programming and making arts more accessible for all people. For more information about the Foundation, please visit its Web site at www.metlife.org.

About VSA arts
VSA arts, an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in more than 60 countries around the world. For more information visit www.vsarts.org

About That Uppity Theatre Company
Since its founding in 1989, That Uppity Theatre Company has attracted local and international attention for its various projects designed to put the principles of cultural diversity and social justice into innovative theatrical practice of the highest quality and to promote civic dialogue. Uppity specializes in bringing together seasoned professionals and interested community members to develop original material based on lived experience. We have received numerous commissions from various organizations including the ACLU, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Foster Care Coalition of Greater St. Louis, and SSM Healthcare, among others to develop site-specific pieces. Whether it be facilitating workshops or developing original performances, we are dedicated to exploring and dialoguing about the pressing issues of our time. For more information, please visit www.uppityco.com

CONTACT:
Marcia Rhodes/VSA arts (202) 628-2800 ext. 3883
[email protected]

VSA arts and MetLife Foundation Announce “Arts Connect All” Recipients
Funding initiative encourages partnerships between
arts organizations and public schools

Washington, D.C., Mar 2, 2006- VSA arts and MetLife Foundation today announced the recipients of the “Arts Connect All” funding program. Eleven arts organizations will receive grants of up to $15,000 for programs that create or enhance inclusive, accessible education programming with public schools.

VSA arts and MetLife Foundation have worked together for eight years to increase access to the arts for people with disabilities. The “Arts Connect All” initiative, in its second year, was created to recognize best practices and encourage arts organizations throughout the country to partner with public schools to develop integrated educational programs for development of students’ social, cognitive, and artistic skills through arts learning.

A distinguished panel of arts education professionals reviewed and evaluated the submissions. The 2006 winners are:

“VSA arts is proud to continue this successful partnership with MetLife Foundation in supporting inclusive arts programs in communities.” said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. “The excellent programs selected this year offer students with and without disabilities a wide range of creative and innovative experiences.”

About MetLife Foundation
MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants are made to support health, educational, civic and cultural organizations and programs throughout the country. Recognizing the vital role the arts play in building communities and educating young people, MetLife Foundation contributes to the arts and culture by focusing on increasing opportunities for young people, reaching broader audiences through inclusive programming and making arts more accessible for all people. For more information about the Foundation, please visit its Web site at www.metlife.org.