Baton Rouge, LA (May 17, 2018) — National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the NEA’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018.  Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant to Kids’ Orchestra to offer afterschool music enrichment programs to 21 students. The Art Works category is the NEA’s largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

“The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Through the work of organizations such as Kids’ Orchestra in Baton Rouge, LA, NEA funding invests in local communities, helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are.”

“Kids’ Orchestra is proud to partner with NEA to provide financial support to 21 of our students this year,” said Jody Hanet, Kids’ Orchestra Executive Director. “Students who participate in Kids’ Orchestra have grades that are on average 15% higher than their non-Kids’ Orchestra counterparts. Our program nourishes these students to become leaders of our community.”

Kids’ Orchestra plans to use the NEA grant to support arts education through their afterschool music enrichment program. The grant funding will impact 21 students from four public schools in East Baton Rouge Parish that currently do not offer music programming. Local music educators and professionals provide music education enrichment to these students twice a week for 26 weeks. Students will receive instrumental training, mentoring, and performance opportunities within the program.

For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

Baton Rouge-based Kids’ Orchestra, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the largest after-school music program for elementary-age students in the Nation. In its seventh year, the program provides nearly 800 students from public, private, and charter schools from all corners of East Baton Rouge Parish the opportunity to study an array of instruments, perform in an ensemble, and/or sing in a choir. To learn more visit kidsorchestra.org