Past Midnight tour artist Gerald Clayton. Photo credit: Ben Wolf.

Jazz is one of America's great indigenous art forms and the country has produced generations of stellar jazz artists. The Foundation's 2011-2012 American Masterpieces tour, Past Midnight, features some of the leading jazz musicians of the current generation. In partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, the Foundation will support a total of 35 engagements across the mid-Atlantic region by clarinetist Anat Cohen, saxophonist David Sánchez, pianist Gerald Clayton, jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato, and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane. For a complete list of venues and dates, click here. Questions concerning American Masterpieces should be directed to Krista Bradley at krista@midatlanticarts.org.

PennPAT Roster Artist Chestnut Brass Company.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation has reinstated PennPAT Presenter Travel Grants. These grants are provided to U.S. performing arts presenters who are interested in booking a PennPAT Roster Artist, and would first like to see a live performance by that artist. Funds may cover 100% of travel/lodging costs (up to a maximum of $500) to attend a full public performance by a Roster Artist, either at home or on tour. Applications may be submitted throughout the year, at least six weeks prior to planned travel. Visit the PennPAT website  for complete guidelines and an application form.

Red Molly will travel to the USVI through the SPI program. Photo courtesy Red Molly.

 Fifteen presenters in Delaware, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands will receive funding through Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's Special Presenter Initiatives program to support performing arts engagements in their communities. The Foundation, in partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and Virgin Islands Council on the Arts, offers this initiative to help encourage presenters in these locations to expand their programming and develop new audiences. A complete listing of the 2011-2012 Special Presenters Initiative grants can be found here. Questions concerning the Special Presenter Initiatives should be directed to Krista Bradley at krista@midatlanticarts.org.

Representatives from 15 member organizations of the Foundation's Jazz Touring Network gathered at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania on June 8-9, 2011 for their second annual meeting of the 2011 fiscal year. The two-day meeting, which was held in conjunction with the PA Presenters Conference, included network business sessions as well as attendance at conference-sponsored jazz activities, a presentation by the Ontario Presenters Network, and keynote speech and performance by noted jazz vocalist Kurt Elling. The Jazz Touring Network is a presenter-based membership program currently comprised of 23 organizations designed to expand the presentation of jazz throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Questions concerning the Jazz Touring Network should be directed to Adam Bernstein at adam@midatlanticarts.org.