Photo: The University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts (Richmond, VA) hosted an audience Q&A with Kaneza Schall & Christopher Myers CARTOGRAPHY with support from ArtsCONNECT. Credit: Shannon Hooker.

ArtsCONNECT supports touring projects collaboratively developed by presenters working together in the mid-Atlantic region. The tours include performances as well as complementary engagement activities designed to create greater understanding or connections between artists, audiences, and communities.

Click here to review the 2023-2024 ArtsCONNECT guidelines and learn about the application process.

Two or more Presenters located in the mid-Atlantic region who partner to present the same artist/company during the project period can each receive up to 50% subsidy for that artist/company’s compensation (including artistic compensation, housing, per diem and travel) plus support for other eligible project expenses.

Mid Atlantic Arts is committed to supporting diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible programming in our region. Projects that demonstrate clear mission impact, strong artistry, well-rounded community and artist engagements, and thoughtful and inclusive efforts to engage audiences systemically underserved by the arts are encouraged to apply.

ArtsCONNECT program timeline:

• November 15, 2022: Application opens; Projects in Development listing available
• December 6, 2022; 1:00-2:00pm ET: ArtsCONNECT webinar | Recording link: https://youtu.be/431d8U2kFhE
• December 13, 4:00-5:30pm ET: ArtsCONNECT Presenter Pitch Session| View a recording here
• February 16, 2023: Projects in Development listing closes
• March 2, 2023: Application deadline
• July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024: Project period for projects awarded ArtsCONNECT funding

Questions? Contact Sarah Lewitus, Program Director, Performing Arts and Accessibility, at slewitus@midatlanticarts.org.

ArtsCONNECT is made possible through support from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program.

The deadline for the 2023-2024 ArtsCONNECT program was March 2, 2023. The guidelines and documents below are for information purposes only.

GUIDELINES

Download ArtsCONNECT Guidelines as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Download ArtsCONNECT Guidelines as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

APPLICATION NARRATIVE PREVIEW QUESTIONS 

Download a preview copy of ArtsCONNECT narrative questions as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Download a preview copy of ArtsCONNECT narrative questions as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

WEBINAR
View a recording of the December 6, 2022 ArtsCONNECT program overview webinar.
View a transcript of the December 6, 2022 ArtsCONNECT webinar.

Projects in Development Listing

The Projects in Development listing is a user-generated information hub that includes consortia projects currently in development for ArtsCONNECT. Presenter participation in the Projects in Development listing is required: one presenter in a consortium must submit the project to the listing prior to the listed deadline of February 16, 2023.

View the FINAL Projects in Development Listing as a Word document

View the FINAL Projects in Development Listing as a PDF

2022-2023

Please check with the performance venue to confirm dates and times, and for ticket information.

Acrobuffos (NY) 

• Academy Center of the Arts, Lynchburg, VA
• Penn Live Arts, Philadelphia, PA
• Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center/ Appell Center, York, PA

Hamid Drake’s Turiya: Honoring Alice Coltraine (IL)

• Ars Nova Workshop, Philadelphia, PA
• Art for Art, Inc., New York, NY
• CapitalBop, Washington, DC

Imani Winds (NY)

• Adelphi University, Garden City, NJ
• University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD

Kuruma Ningyo Puppet Company, Japan

• Japan-American Society of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• Japan Society, Inc., New York, NY
• Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg, VA

ODC/Dance (CA)

• Stockton University Performing Arts Center, Galloway, NJ
• University of Albany, Albany, NY

Paul Taylor Dance Company (NY)

• Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
• Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid, NY
• Penn Live Arts, Philadelphia, PA
• Performing Arts Center SUNY Potsdam. Potsdam, NY
• The Egg, Albany, NY

Rennie Harris Puremovement (PA)

• Joyce Theater Foundation, New York, NY
• Penn Live Arts, Philadelphia, PA
• Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA

Shamel Pitts/Tribe: Black Hole (NY)

• Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
• New York Live Arts, New York, NY
• University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD

Soweto Gospel Choir (Australia)

• Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
• Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State, State College, PA
• Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg, VA

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience (LA)

• ArtsLink, New Martinsville, WV
• Cape May Jazz, Cape May, NJ
• George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
• Goodwill Theatre, Johnson City, NY

Third Coast Percussion & Flutronix (IL)

• Lehigh University/ Zoellner Arts Center, Bethlehem, PA
• Modlin Center University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
• Rowan University College of Performing Arts, Glassboro, NJ
• Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA
• University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD

Ulysses String Quartet (NY)

• Community Concerts at Second, Baltimore, MD
• PS21, Chatham, NY

Urban Bush Women (NY)

• Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA
• Rowan University College of Performing Arts, Glassboro, NY
• The Research Foundation for SUNY Brockport, Brockport, NY
• University at Albany, Albany, NY

Vuyani Dance Theatre (South Africa)

• Joyce Theater Foundation, New York, NY
• Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA

Panelists

If you are interested in serving as a panelist for ArtsCONNECT, please email Program Director Sarah Lewitus at slewitus@midatlanticarts.org with your name and a short bio for consideration.

2022-2023 Program Panelists

Judith Bauer (she/her) 
Dancer, a facilitator and a maker of dances; Participating Artist at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD
Washington, DC

Desirèe Dabney (she/her) 
Actor, Singer, Director, teacher and executive director of Theatre Diva Productions
Richmond, VA

Dave Kyu (he/him) 
Director of Programs at Asian Arts Initiative
Philadelphia, PA

Brett Messenger (he/him) 
Curatorial Director of Live Arts at the Morris Museum
Morristown, NJ

Eman Rimawi-Doster (she/her) 
Access-A-Ride Campaign Coordinator and Organizer; New York Lawyers for the Public Interest; organizer around diversity, equity and inclusion in disenfranchised communities, while using art, writing, fashion, and creativity
New York, NY

2021-2022 Program Panelists

Dr. Kreative (Malakhi RL Eason II)
Director of Programming and Community Impact at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas
New Haven, CT

Maria Manuela Goyanes
Artistic Director, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Washington, DC

Isabel Soffer
Co-Founder and Co-Director, globalFEST; Co-Founder and Co-Director, The Generators; Co-Founder and Co-Director, Live Sounds
Malden, NY

Beatrice L. Thomas
Principal, Authentic Arts and Media
Vallejo, CA

Laurie Uprichard
Independent Curator, Producer, and Consultant
New Orleans, LA

2020-2021 Program Panelists

Kristy Edmunds
Center for the Art of Performance, UCLA
Los Angeles, CA

Tamara Loewenthal
Lotus Education and Arts Foundation
Bloomington, IN

Aaron Shackelford, Ph.D.
Georgia Tech Arts
Atlanta, GA

Anonymous
Chicago, IL

Anonymous
NY/CA

2019-2020 Program Panelists

Viviana Benitez
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
New York, NY

Laura Kendall
Omaha Performing Arts
Omaha, NE

Bonnie Schock
Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts
Red Wing, MN

Sixto Wagan
University of Houston
Houston, TX

2018-2019 Program Panelists

Paul Bonin-Rodriguez
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX

Adam Fong
Center for New Music
San Francisco, CA

Ben Pryor
American Realness
New York, NY

Dayna Martinez
Ordway Center
Saint Paul, MN

Virtual Engagement Guidelines

Acknowledging the performing arts’ ongoing reality of utilizing virtual platforms for performance and other engagement, Mid Atlantic Arts will continue to take a flexible approach to our program policies for grantees through June 30, 2024 (timeline may be extended). While we believe that live, in-person performances are hard to replace, we also acknowledge that adaptive virtual approaches will ensure continued access to arts experiences. In some cases, engaging virtually may be preferential over in-person—for example, to increase access for audiences and/or artists across geographies and for people with disabilities.

Please read the Virtual Engagement Guide linked below to understand the requirements of presenting your funded engagement as a virtual presentation:

Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as an accessible Word document (Click link to download)

Changes in Project Proposal

Changes in the content, schedule, or budget set forth in the Application must be submitted in writing to Mid Atlantic Arts before being implemented with the exception of those listed below.

Changes that do not require approval:

1. The change of switching to a virtual presentation if this change meets the requirements included in the Virtual Engagement Guidance available on our website in the Manage Your Grant tab on our website.

2. Changes in project venues or touring locations, as long as: all project locations are fully accessible in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, or specific accommodations will be made appropriately (see Section 8; Compliance with Statutes and Regulations); and, the constituency to be reached is the same as originally approved.

3. Addition or removal of auxiliary programming that was not included in the Application as long as it does not impact the overall project scope

4. Revisions to the budget of non-artist fee line item expenses as long as a 1:1 match is maintained.

5. Revisions to the budget of income sources as long as a 1:1 match is maintained.

Payment

Please see your Grant Award Agreement for terms of payment.

Grantee may elect to receive all grant payments by ACH electronic funds transfer. If you wish to sign up for ACH payments, download the ACH Authorization Form and follow the instructions on the form.

Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting

Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included as Exhibit A of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below. Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required crediting materials must be submitted as part of the final report.

Credit and Logo Usage Details

The following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo MUST appear in all programs, websites and press releases produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. In addition, the following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo should be included whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary, in all flyers and postcards, email communications, season brochures, social media posts and calendars, and any other print or electronic promotional and publicity materials produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project.

This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered in any way.

This engagement of [ARTIST] is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Download Mid Atlantic Arts Logo

Website Link

Grantees are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link MUST remain active during the entire length of your grant period with Mid Atlantic Arts. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic Arts’ logo.

Final Reports

Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement.

For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Delise White, Support Specialist at delise@midatlanticarts.org or 410.539.6656 x112.

For grants awarded for program year 2022 and earlier (5 digit grant number starting with a 3):

Final report requirements and instructions were included as Exhibit B of the Grant Award Agreement.

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ eGRANT portal at https://midatlanticarts.egrant.net.

The eGRANT account used to submit the application for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the “Forgot Password?” link on the login page just above the log in fields.

For grants awarded for program year 2023 and later (8 digit grant numbers starting with “2023-”):

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ grant portal at https://midatlanticarts.smartsimple.com.

The SmartSimple account used to submit the application for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the “Forgot Password?” link on the SmartSimple portal page, below the purple “Log In” button, to reset your password.

Photo: Kulu Mele artists demonstrating West African dance (and drumming, not seen in the photo) at the Baltimore Rhythm Festival. Credit: Ira Bond.

Mid Atlantic Arts’ Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects designed to support the vitality of traditional arts and cultural communities in the mid-Atlantic region.

Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, USVI, PR, or WV which seek to engage folk and traditional artists, practitioners, or culture bearers in community-based projects are eligible for funding in amounts from $1,000 to $7,000. The majority of project activities must take place within the mid-Atlantic region. Eligible project activities include but are not limited to performances, public art collaborations, workshops, trainings, exhibitions, fieldwork, and artistic collaborations. Projects must include some publicly accessible component, including but not limited to a performance, event, exhibit, video, podcast, Q&A session, public interest meeting, archival collection, website, or report.

Mid Atlantic encourages projects that cross sectors, state or territory borders, or connect organizations, artists, or practitioners within one state or territory. In alignment with Mid Atlantic Arts’ strategic vision to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, applications for projects that support or engage underserved or underrepresented artists, practitioners, traditions, or constituents are strongly encouraged.

Folk and Traditional Arts program staff will be hosting a webinar for the Community Projects grants on May 3, 2023, at 2pm EST. Sign up here.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects 2023-2024 Timeline 

• • Applications open April 17, 2023

• • Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants webinar, May 3 at 2pm EST

• • Applications must be received by June 6, 2023, at 11:59pm EST

• • Applicants will be notified of grant award approval by August 31, 2023

• • Project activities will take place from September 1, 2023-June 30, 2024

Questions? Contact Joel Chapman, Program Associate, Folk and Traditional Arts, at jchapman@midatlanticarts.org.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Project grants are supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.  

GUIDELINES
Download 2023 Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Guidelines as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Download 2023 Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Guidelines as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

APPLICATION FORM
Download a preview copy of 2023 Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Application as a PDF (link opens in a new window)

View a recording of the informational webinar for the 2023-2024 Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Grants held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

2022-2023 Grants

New Jersey 

New Jersey Center for Visual Arts
Olas Caribeñas/Caribbean Waves Audio Documentary Reel  

New Jersey Folk Festival
Cultures of Cultivation: Community Gardens and Comics Exhibit 

Peters Valley Craft Center
Traditional Basketry & Beyond: An Exhibition with Artist Steven R. Carty at Peters Valley School of Craft 

Redhawk Indian Arts Council
Iroquois Traditions 

New York 

Association for Cultural Equity
“Go to Sleepy Little Baby”: an exhibit presented by the Lomax Digital Archive 

Center for Traditional Music and Dance
The Tahlila West African Drumming and Song Workshop Series 

Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY
The Festival of Japan cultural workshops and collaborative performance 

Living Traditions/Jalopy Theatre
The Eighth Annual Brooklyn International Music Festival

Maryland 

EducArte
Afro-Brazilian samba percussion ensemble community performances 

Frostburg State University
National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration: “Cuando México Canta” with Mariachi Herencia de México featuring Lupita Infante  

Sandy Spring Museum
Bomba y Plena en el Museum 

Pennsylvania 

Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble
Kulu Mele performance, workshop, and community conversation at the Baltimore Rhythm Festival  

Philadelphia Folklore Project
The Historically Black Neighborhood of Swarthmore: Producing a Podcast on its History 

Rivers of Steel
Public workshop trainings for folk and traditional artists through mentorships from master teaching artists and hands-on experiences 

Virginia 

Shenandoah University
Ranky Tanky: Engaging with Gullah Culture 

Venture Richmond
The Virginia Folklife Area at the Richmond Folk Festival 

Panelists

If you are interested in serving as a panelist for Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects, please email Program Director Emily Hilliard at emily@midatlanticarts.org with your name and a short bio for consideration. 

2022-2023 Program Panelists 

Karen “Queen Nur” Abdul-Malik
Storyteller, 14th President of the National Association of Black Storytellers, Member of the Board of Directors of the American Folklore Society, Creative Arts Director at Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte Vermont
Willingboro, NJ 

Mackenzie Kwok 
Folklorist, City Lore and Long Island Traditions and Head Folklorist Research of American Lore Theater
Brooklyn, NY 

Kristin Sullivan 
Executive Director of the Ward Foundation, the nonprofit that operates the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art at Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD 

Virtual Engagement Guidance

As arts organizations evolve in response to a changing landscape, Mid Atlantic Arts will continue to take a flexible approach to our program policies during this time. While we believe that live, in-person performances are hard to replace, we are also open to adaptive approaches that will ensure continued access to these arts experiences. Therefore, we are glad to announce the following policy for virtual engagements as an option for our grantees to fulfill their public performance and community engagement activity requirements.

Please read the full guidance document to understand the requirements of presenting your funded engagement as a virtual presentation. We have also included links to a few resources that may help you guide your decisions around virtual presentation.

Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as an accessible Word document (Click link to download)

Changes in Project Proposal

Any changes in the content, schedule, or budget of your project as proposed must be submitted in writing for approval prior to being implemented. Requested changes must be submitted to Jamie Melius, Grants Manager, at jmelius@midatlanticarts.org.

Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting

Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included as Exhibit A of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below. Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required crediting materials must be submitted as part of the final report.

Credit and Logo Usage Details

The following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo MUST appear in all programs, websites and press releases produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. In addition, the following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo should be included whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary, in all flyers and postcards, email communications, season brochures, social media posts and calendars, and any other print or electronic promotional and publicity materials produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project.

• • This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered in any way.

This program is made possible through the Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• • Download Mid Atlantic Arts Logo

Website Link

Grantees are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link MUST remain active during the entire length of your grant period with Mid Atlantic Arts. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic Arts’ logo.

Final Reports

Final report requirements and instructions were included as Exhibit B of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement.

Final reports are to be completed online at https://midatlanticarts.smartsimple.com/

For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Jamie Melius, Grants Manager, at jmelius@midatlanticarts.org.

Mid Atlantic Arts believes in the power of the arts to promote a greater understanding of other cultures.  Iber Exchange is a grant program designed to increase availability of international music programming throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and to promote a greater understanding of other cultures through the performing arts. Iber (pronounced “EE-burr”) Exchange provides fee support grants to nonprofit presenters located in the mid-Atlantic region that contract artists as part of the Iber Exchange program in collaboration with the Ibermúsicas organization.

All funded engagements are required to include a public performance and a community engagement activity that creates interaction between audiences and visiting artists. An emphasis is placed on funding engagements in communities where opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.

Mid Atlantic Arts recognizes that international touring is most cost-effective for presenters and artists when multiple presenters collaborate to bring an artist to various communities in one trip. This program offers the opportunity for both presenters and artists to receive funding to facilitate collaborative cultural exchange.

Iber Exchange is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts in collaboration with Ibermúsicas and made possible through the generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program.

About Ibermúsicas

Ibermúsicas is a nongovernmental organization dedicated to supporting the diversity and growth of the Iberoamerican music sector. Members include Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. Ibermúsicas provides grants to support the mobility and development of musicians in their member countries.

Support for Iber Exchange is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Ibermúsicas.

HOW IT WORKS

This initiative is a partnership grant program featuring cross-cultural collaboration between artists and presenters.

Artist Selection: In 2022 Ibermúsicas conducted an open call for artist applications. Artists had to be based in Ibermúsicas’ member countries to apply for funding and meet eligibility criteria. The three ensembles selected following panel review for the artist roster will receive grant support directly from Ibermúsicas to defray visa costs.

Presenter Grant Support: Ensembles on the artist roster will tour the mid-Atlantic region with the assistance of Ibermúsicas between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Nonprofit mid-Atlantic presenters who provided letters of invitation to these artists when they applied to Ibermúsicas will be eligible for grant support from Mid Atlantic Arts for up to 50% of the negotiated artist fee. Grants will generally range between $2,000 – $8,000 per presenter. Additional eligible mid-Atlantic nonprofit presenters interested in joining the tours may do so with grant support while funds remain.

HOW TO RECEIVE A GRANT AWARD

• Review the program guidelines below and the artist roster.
• Contact the artist’s tour agent and negotiate the performance and artist-involved community engagement activities.
• Send a signed offer letter to the agent by April 25, 2023 that includes the presenter’s name and contact information, public performance and community engagement date(s), negotiated inclusive fee, and recommended grant support amount as negotiated with the artist’s agent.
• Be tentatively recommended for a grant (up to 50% of negotiated fee) and complete a brief online form including details about your organization and the engagement, including planned artist-involved community engagement.
• Mid Atlantic Arts will contact you in June to verify details and confirm your grant.

PRESENTER ELIGIBILITY

In order to receive fee support grants, a presenting organization must:

• Be based anywhere in the mid-Atlantic jurisdiction: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Virginia, West Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or a unit of state or local government. Units of state or local government must provide a document on official letterhead to confirm status as a government entity. Fiscal sponsorship is not permitted for this program.
• Be in good standing with Mid Atlantic Arts, with no overdue or outstanding required reports and/or grant documents.
• For this program, a presenter is defined as an organization that regularly schedules and engages professional artists to perform before general audiences in its community and manages the related performance logistics as an ongoing and significant component of their organization’s activity.
• We encourage the participation of presenters from a variety of eligible organizations including: organizations that serve populations whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics, geography, or disability; organizations with small and medium-sized budgets; organizations from rural or urban communities; and organizations that may be receiving funding from Mid Atlantic Arts for the first time.
• Presenters will be selected on the strength of their proposed activity engagement as well as compelling outreach to their community.

ENGAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

In order to receive fee support grants a presenting organization must:

• Enter into a contract with an Ibermúsicas-selected artist for at least one public performance and at least one community engagement activity that builds appreciation for the performance or art form and provides the public with opportunities for direct interaction with the visiting artists. Presenters will be selected on the strength of their proposed activity engagement as well as compelling outreach to their community. Community engagement activities may include, but are not limited to, master classes, lecture-demonstrations, workshops, and pre- or post-performance discussions. The activity offered must involve the featured artist(s). Presenters must discuss the community engagement activity and the artist’s involvement and include these activities in their negotiations. Presenters must provide details on community engagement plans before being confirmed for a grant award.

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Program Guidelines as a Word doc (Opens in a new tab)
Program Guidelines as a PDF (Opens in a new tab)

Want to learn more?
Iber Exchange Webinar for Presenters in the Mid-Atlantic
View a Recording (hyperlink opens new tab to YouTube video).

To receive deadline reminders and program updates, please sign up for our newsletter.

Iber Exchange 2023-2024 Artist Roster

Alejandro Brittes Quartet

Renowned Argentine accordionist and composer Alejandro Brittes has been described by academic authority University of Texas professor Mark Brill as one of the three principal accordionists of the important traditional South American chamamé musical genre, a 400-year old musical expression declared as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO that resonates with over 35 million people in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and other South American nations, that was born of the encounter between native Guaraní cultures and the Baroque musical influences brought by Jesuits in the colonial period. The accordion-based multicultural chamamé genre is unfortunately little known in North America. Brittes´s musical career spans over 30 years, he has 100 original compositions and 9 albums, and has performed in 10 nations in the Americas and Europe. He has also published a book titled “The Origins of Chamamé”, one of the most-sold titles on Amazon Brazil in Sept. 2021.

Watch: APAP Showcase
Web: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
To book, contact: José Curbelo | jose@hometeammgmt.org

Caña Dulce y Caña Brava

Caña Dulce y Caña Brava takes audiences on a journey through the music, poetry, and dance of Veracruz, Mexico. Experience the profound harmonies of the harp, the percussive atmosphere of the jarana, and the robust rhythm of the guitarra grande accompanied by the zapateado and the projection of visual effects. The group highlights feminine poetry and voices within the traditionally masculine world of Mexican son jarocho music. Thanks to their dedication, innovation and perseverance, the group has established itself as a benchmark for son jarocho, giving innovation to traditional Mexican music.

Web: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify
To book, contact: Matthew Greenhill | mattg@fliartists.com

La Banda Morisca

Photo: Dayramir Gonzalez & Habana enTRANCe take a bow on stage at Flushing Town Hall (Flushing, NY). Flushing Town Hall is a member of the Jazz Touring Network. Credit: Shawn Choi.

The Jazz Touring Network is a presenter-based membership program that supports professional development, building partnerships, and working together to curate tours that reflect the richness of the field of jazz. Welcoming both those organizations with little to no experience presenting jazz and seasoned jazz presenters seeking to strengthen programming, application occurs annually through an open, competitive process. Once selected, membership is ongoing upon meeting annual requirements.

Questions regarding the Jazz Touring Network should be directed to the Program Director, Jazz, Ernest Stuart at estuart@midatlanticarts.org.

The Jazz Touring Network is made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program.

New guidelines for the Jazz Touring Network will be posted in fall 2023. The guidelines below are for information purposes only.

Download the 2020 – 2021 Jazz Touring Network Membership Guidelines as a PDF (link opens in a new window)

Download the 2020 – 2021 Jazz Touring Network Membership Guidelines as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

Deadlines

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mid Atlantic Arts has prioritized supporting current JTN members as they navigate difficult programming and presenting transitions. New program guidelines will be posted in the fall of 2023.

2019-2020 Jazz Touring Network Engagements

All schedules are subject to change. Please check with the performance venue to confirm dates and times, and for ticket information.

Anat Cohen Quartetinho, New York, NY

“Cohen has emerged as one of the brightest, most original young instrumentalists in jazz.” — The Washington Post

Anat Cohen has always felt a deep connection to the joy, inventiveness, and deep grooves of jazz’s rich and eclectic musical traditions. The prolific clarinetist-saxophonist’s latest musical project, The Anat Cohen Quartetinho, was birthed from her GRAMMY-nominated Tentet and explores a myriad of musical influences, both acoustic and electronic, from Israel, the US, and Brazil. Quartetinho features Anat (clarinet & bass clarinet), Vitor Gonçalves (accordion & piano), Tal Mashiach (bass & 7-string guitar), and James Shipp (percussion, vibraphone, and electronics). 

• Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Hamilton College, Clinton, NY
• Queens College- Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Flushing, NY

Ladies Sing the Blues, featuring vocalists Catherine Russell, Charenee Wade, and Brianna Thomas, New York, NY

Ladies Sing The Blues features vocalists Catherine Russell, Charenee Wade, and Brianna Thomas channeling 1920s blues divas Bessie Smith (the “Empress of the Blues”); Mamie Smith (the “Queen of the Blues”); Ma Rainey (the “Mother of the Blues”); stage and screen icon, Ethel Waters, and legends like Billie Holiday, Alberta Hunter, and Ida Cox. Originally presented at Jazz At Lincoln Center, this concert features an amazing 7-piece band including horn charts adapted from the original recordings.  Come swing with us!

• Kingsborough Community College – On Stage at Kingsborough, Brooklyn, NY
• Montgomery County Community College – Lively Arts, Blue Bell, PA
• Queens College – Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Flushing, NY
• University of Richmond – Modlin Center for the Arts, Richmond, VA

Christie Dashiell Washington, DC

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, Christie Dashiell is a graduate of Howard University and the Manhattan School of Music. As a member of Afro-Blue, Howard’s premier vocal jazz ensemble, Dashiell appeared on NBC’s “The Sing Off.” She has twice received recognition in DownBeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards as Outstanding Soloist and Best Vocalist in the Graduate College division. Dashiell tours with her own quartet, and has performed with Nancy Wilson, Geri Allen, Smokey Robinson, Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hammond. She has appeared at the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival and Winter Jazzfest in New York City.

• CapitalBop, Washington, DC
• Christina Cultural Arts Center, Wilmington, DE

Dayramir Gonzales Los Angeles, CA

Dayramir Gonzalez is a three-time Cubadisco award-winner and the first Cuban national to receive Berklee College of Music’s “Presidential Scholarship” and the 2013 Wayne Shorter Award for most outstanding jazz composer. 

Dayramir began his professional career as a pianist and composer with former Irakere member, Oscar Valdes’ Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Diákara at the age of 16. Since winning Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005, Dayramir has gone from winning three Cubadisco awards for his 2007 debut album “Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé” to becoming Berklee College of Music’s first Cuban national “Presidential Scholarship” recipient to performing in 15,000-seat stadiums with legends like Chucho and Bebo Valdes and headlining Carnegie Hall’s,“Voices of Latin America Series,” invited by Chucho Valdes representing the young generation of Afro-Cuban jazz.

During this tour, Dayramir will share the music of his journey as a young Havana-native who brings the Afro-Cuban music legacy infused with the vanguard sounds of New York to the United States. His music reflects his ancestral heritage of pulsating West African motifs to his contemporary take on the classical Cuban tradition of the late 19th century as well as a modern approach to the large orchestral ballads inspired by the artistry of jazz legends like Billy Strayhorn and Gil Evans. Dayramir continues his role as a leading composer, orchestrator, bandleader and pianist in the international jazz community.

• Artvolution Cultural Innovation Project, Inc., Bensalem, PA
• Flushing Town Hall, Flushing, NY

Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo, Nashville, TN & Brooklyn, NY

Trumpeter and vocalist Jennifer Hartswick and guitarist Nick Cassarino have been playing music, writing, laughing, and storytelling together since meeting in their native Vermont almost two decades ago. Now based in Nashville, TN, Hartswick is best known as a founding member of the Trey Anastasio Band, and has recorded and shared the stage with Herbie Hancock, Phish, Tom Petty, the Rolling Stones, Christian McBride and many others. Cassarino, who resides in Brooklyn, NY, performed as a member of hip-hop collective Lifted Crew and toured alongside rap icons Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane before forming internationally renowned The Nth Power onstage at a late-night Jazz Fest jam session in 2013.

Hartswick and Cassarino have each made names for themselves, touring tirelessly, but together their powerful jazz-fusion originals are delivered with passion, dedication and sophistication that is evident in their joyous, soulful performances, providing audiences with a truly special musical experience.

• Binghamton University – Anderson Center for the Arts, Binghamton, NY
• Carnegie Hall, Lewisburg, West Virginia
• Christina Cultural Arts Center, Wilmington, DE
• Jefferson Center, Roanoke, VA
• Salisbury University – Cultural Affairs, Salisbury, MD

Joel Ross – Good Vibes, Brooklyn, NY

Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross has a way of being everywhere interesting at once: from deeply innovative albums (Makaya McCraven’s Universal Beings, Walter Smith III & Matthew Stevens’ In Common) to reliably revolutionary combos (Marquis Hill’s Blacktet, Peter Evans’ Being & Becoming) to an ever-present force on the New York jazz stage. In 2019 he joined the Blue Note Records roster; adding his name to an illustrious jazz vibraphone legacy on the label that extends from Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson to Stefon Harris. His debut record Kingmaker was one of the exceptional releases of the year and while it was a great recording, live, along with his band, is where his vision truly rises to astounding heights.

• Black Rock Center for the Arts, Germantown, MD
• CapitalBop, Washington, DC
• Christina Cultural Arts Center, Wilmington, DE
• Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD
• Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Brooklyn, NY
• Jefferson Center, Roanoke, VA
• Queens College – Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Flushing, NY
• Virginia Arts Festival, Norfolk, VA

Marc Cary, Baltimore, MD

In a jazz world brimming with brilliant and adventurous pianists, musician and composer Marc Cary stands apart by way of pedigree and design as one of New York’s best jazz pianists. None of his prestigious peer group ever set the groove behind the drums in Washington DC go-go bands nor are any others graduates of both Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln’s daunting bandstand academies.  On top of his expansive recording catalog and international touring,  he is currently teaching the Undergraduate and Graduate improvisation programs at Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School, and with this — alongside his long-standing acclaimed performance based jam sessions The Harlem Sessions — Cary is an indisputable connector between the jazz generations.

• CapitalBop, Washington, DC
• Flushing Town Hall, Flushing, NY
• Kente Arts Alliance, Pittsburgh, PA
• Light Up The Queen, Wilmington, DE

Victor Provost, Crofton, MD

Victor Provost is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading voices on the unique, and often misunderstood, steel pan (or steel drum). Through appearances at concert halls, clubs, and stages around the world, he has been meticulously developing a reputation as a “dazzling” soloist, crafting an impressive improvisational voice and style. With a strong foundation in Bebop, a contemporary sensibility, and deep roots in Caribbean music, he seamlessly melds and mixes genres. The Washington D.C. City Paper’s “Jazz Percussionist of the Year” six years running, his 2017 recording Bright Eyes (Sunnyside) debuted at #5 on the iTunes Top 40 Jazz Charts and has been met with praise from The Washington Post, Downbeat Magazine, Hot House Magazine, and numerous artists and presenters.

In addition to leading his own group, Victor has performed and recorded with luminaries such as NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera, Hugh Masakela, Joe Locke, Nicholas Payton, Terell Stafford, Dave Samuels, Steve Nelson, Ron Blake, and Wycliffe Gordon, among many others.

As an educator, Victor conducts residencies throughout the United States and the Caribbean and is an Arts Ambassador to his home, the U.S. Virgin Islands, which honored him with a Special Congressional Recognition in 2014.

• CapitalBop, Washington, DC
• Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Brooklyn, NY
• Flushing Town Hall, Flushing, NY
• MCG Jazz, Pittsburgh, PA

Arden Gild Hall
Ron Ozer, President
2126 The Highway
Arden, DE 19810
Phone: 302.898.9308
E-mail: concerts@ardenclub.org
http://ardenclub.org/

Ars Nova Workshop
Mark Christman, Executive and Artistic Director
Bok Room 509
1901 S. 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 20002
Phone: 215.805.3376
E-mail: mark@arsnovaworkshop.org
https://www.arsnovaworkshop.org

Artvolution Cultural Innovation Project, Inc.- Modern Renaissance Jazz
Vena Jefferson, Executive Director
1911 Ironwood Lane
Bensalem, PA 19020
Phone: 267.777.9553
E-mail: vena@artvolution.org
https://www.artvolution.org/

Atlas Performing Arts Center
Doug Yeuell, Executive Director
1333 H Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.399.7993 ext. 116
E-mail: dyeuell@atlasarts.org
http://www.atlasarts.org

BlackRock Center for the Arts
Keelyn Mitchell, Senior Coordinator of Programs & Projects
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874
Phone: 240.912.1059
E-mail: kmitchell@blackrockcenter.org
http://www.blackrockcenter.org/

Binghamton University – Anderson Center for the Performing Arts
Annette Burnett, Operations Director
P.O. Box 6000
Binghamton, NY 13902
Phone: 607.777.2311
E-mail: aburnet@binghamton.edu
http://www2.binghamton.edu/anderson-center/

CapitalBop
Jamie Sandal, Managing Director
2853 Ontario Road, NW #501
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 301.943.2683
E-mail: jamie@capitalbop.com
https://www.capitalbop.com/

Carnegie Hall
Allan Sizemore, Artistic Director
105 Church Street
Lewisburg, WV 24901
Phone: 304.645.7917 ext. 114
E-mail: artistic@carnegiehallwv.org
http://www.carnegiehallwv.org/

Christina Cultural Arts Center
James Raye Rhodes, Executive Director
705 N. Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: 302.851.1633
E-mail: jrhodes@ccacde.org
https://www.ccac-de.org/

Cornell University – Cornell Concert Series
Dr. Deborah Justice, Manager
101 Lincoln Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607.255.4363
E-mail: drj46@cornell.edu
www.cornellconcertseries.com

Creative Alliance
Josh Kohn, Performance Director
3134 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: 410.276.1651
E-mail: josh@creativealliance.org
http://www.creativealliance.org/

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
Ariana Hellerman, Director of Programming
1 MetroTech Center North, Suite 1003
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-403-1641
E-mail: ahellerman@downtownbrooklyn.com
http://www.downtownbrooklyn.com

Flushing Town Hall
Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director
137-35 Northern Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11354
Phone: 718.463.7700 ext. 225
E-mail: ekodadek@flushingtownhall.org
http://www.flushingtownhall.org

Frostburg State University – Cultural Events Series
Melanie Moore, Associate Director – CES
101 Braddock Road
Frostburg, MD 21532
Phone: 301.687.4151
E-mail: mamoore@frostburg.edu
https://www.frostburg.edu/cultural-events-series/

Hamilton College – Performing Arts
Michelle Reiser-Memmer, Performing Arts Administrator
198 College Hill Road
Clinton, NY 13323
Phone: 315.859.4305
E-mail: mreiserm@hamilton.edu
https://www.hamilton.edu/campuslife/arts-at-hamilton/performingarts

Jefferson Center
Jamie Cheatwood, Programming Assistant
541 Luck Avenue, SW, Suite 221
Roanoke, VA 24016
Phone: 540.343.2624 ext. 215
E-mail: jcheatwood@jeffcenter.org
http://www.jeffcenter.org/

Kente Arts Alliance
Mensah Wali, Artistic Director
1212 Manhattan Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Phone: 412.322.0292
E-mail: mensah@kentearts.org
http://kentearts.com

Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College
Jon Yanofsky, Director, Kupferberg Center for the Arts
65-30 Kissena Blvd
Flushing, NY 11367
Phone: 718.570.0924
E-mail: jon.yanofsky@qc.cuny.edu
http://kupferbergcenter.org/

Lake Placid Center for the Arts
James Lemons, Executive Director
17 Algonquin Drive
Lake Placid, NY 12946
Phone: 518.523.2512
E-mail: james@lakeplacidarts.org
https://www.lakeplacidarts.org/

Montgomery County Community College – Lively Arts
Brent Woods, Senior Director of Cultural Affairs
340 DeKalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA 19422
Phone: 215.641.6439
E-mail: BWoods@mc3.edu
http://www.mc3.edu/arts/lively-arts

MCG Jazz
Natalie Larsen, Executive Assistant
1815 Metropolitan Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Phone: 412.322.1773 ext. 121
E-mail: nlarsen@manchesterbidwell.org
http://mcgjazz.org

On Stage At Kingsborough
Anna Becker, Executive Director
2001 Oriental Boulevard
Brooklyn, NY 11235
Phone: 718.368.5148
E-mail: ABecker@kbcc.cuny.edu
http://www.onstageatkingsborough.org/

RiverviewJazz.Org
Bryan Beninghove, Executive Director
P.O. Box 17291
Jersey City, NJ, 07307
Phone: 201.920.7209
E-mail: riverviewjazz.org@gmail.com
https://www.riverviewjazz.org/

University of Richmond – Modlin Center for the Arts
Shannon Hooker, Assistant Director
T-107A 28 Westhampton Way
Richmond, VA 23173
Phone: 804.287.6559
E-mail: shooker@richmond.edu
http://modlin.richmond.edu/

Virginia Arts Festival
Danielle Garcia, Artistic Administrator
440 Bank Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 757.282.2811
E-mail: dmgarcia@vafest.org
http://www.vafest.com/

Virtual Engagement Guidance

As arts presenting organizations evolve in response to a changing landscape, Mid Atlantic Arts will continue to take a flexible approach to our program policies during this time. While we believe that live, in-person performances are hard to replace, we are also open to adaptive approaches that will ensure continued access to these arts experiences. Therefore, we are glad to announce the following policy for virtual engagements as an option for our grantees to fulfill their public performance and community engagement activity requirements.

Please read the full guidance document to understand the requirements of presenting your funded engagement as a virtual presentation. We have also included links to a few resources that may help you guide your decisions around virtual presentation.

Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as an accessible Word document (Click link to download)

Changes in Project Proposal

Any changes in the content, schedule, or budget of your project as proposed must be submitted in writing for approval prior to being implemented. Requested changes must be submitted to Phillip Harmon, Director of Operations, at phillip@midatlanticarts.org.

Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting

Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included as Exhibit A of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below.  Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required crediting materials must be submitted as part of the final report.

Credit and Logo Usage Details

The following statement, and where space permits, the Mid Atlantic Arts logo MUST appear in all programs, websites and press releases produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. In addition, the following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo should be included whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary, in all flyers and postcards, email communications, season brochures, social media posts and calendars, and any other print or electronic promotional and publicity materials produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project.

• This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered in any way.

This engagement of [ARTIST] is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Download Mid Atlantic Arts Logo

Website Link

Grantees are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link MUST remain active during the entire length of your grant period with Mid Atlantic Arts. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic Arts’ logo.

Final Reports

Final report requirements and instructions were included as Exhibit B of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement.

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ eGRANT system at https://midatlanticarts.egrant.net.  Please read the instructions in the eGRANT system carefully.

The account used to submit the Common Information Form for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the link on the eGRANT login page to retrieve the information.

For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Phillip Harmon, Director of Operations, at phillip@midatlanticarts.org or 410.539.6656 x109.

Mid Atlantic Tours brings the best of the performing arts to communities across the mid-Atlantic region. Presenters select from a curated roster of artists that changes annually but maintains a programmatic commitment to a diversity of performance genres, regional artist representation, and engaging with communities underserved by the arts.

Mid Atlantic Tours will return for 2024-2025 with a new roster of performing artists from across the mid-Atlantic region. The 2024-2025 roster will be released in Fall 2023.

Artists located in the mid-Atlantic region may indicate their interest in being considered for the Mid Atlantic Tours roster. The Roster Artist Interest Form is open now. See the Roster Artist Interest Form tab on this page for more information.

Presenters located in the mid-Atlantic region who engage a Mid Atlantic Tours roster artist during the project period receive up to 50% subsidy for the roster artist’s compensation (including artistic compensation, housing, per diem and travel) as well as presenter capacity support. Presenters work directly with the roster artist’s tour manager to negotiate terms, including engagement dates and compensation.

Once terms are confirmed between a presenter and tour manager, the presenter completes a short application to Mid Atlantic Arts. Applications are not adjudicated competitively, but presenters engaging a Mid Atlantic Tours roster artist during the project period are encouraged to confirm terms with the artist’s tour manager as soon as possible as funding is limited. Final grant award distribution is determined by Mid Atlantic Arts staff, informed by tour manager advisement.

Mid Atlantic Tours program timeline *Updated May 22, 2023 

The selection process for Mid Atlantic Tours will involve the following:

• June 8, 11:00am-12:00pm: Roster Artist Interest Form Virtual Info Session; register by clicking this link
• June 22, 2023, 11:59pm: Roster Artist Interest Form deadline
• July 2023: Curatorial advisement panel reviews submissions and makes finalist recommendations
• September 2023: Finalist recommendations are sent via email survey to mid-Atlantic region presenters for feedback
• October 2023: Artists and tour managers are contracted for the 2024-2025 Mid Atlantic Tours roster

Program timeline for selected Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artists:

• Fall 2023: Public announcement of Mid Atlantic Tours roster
• March 28, 2024: Booking deadline for mid-Atlantic region presenters to contract Mid Atlantic Tours artists
• July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025: Project period for Mid Atlantic Tours subsidy awards to presenters (presentations of Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artists must take place during this period)

Questions? Contact Sarah Lewitus, Program Director, Performing Arts at slewitus@midatlanticarts.org.

Mid Atlantic Tours is made possible through support from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program.

Photo: Sonya De Los Santos performed at Huntington Arts Council (Huntington, NY) with support from the Mid Atlantic Tours program. Credit: John Chicherio.

Download the Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artist Interest Form Overview as a PDF (Link opens in a new window)
Download the Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artist Interest Form Overview as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

Click here to access the Roster Artist Interest Form

Click here to register for the Roster Artist Interest Form Virtual Info Session on June 8, 2023, 11:00-12:00pm

Performing artists based in Mid Atlantic Arts’ geographic region* working in dance, folk and traditional performing arts, multidisciplinary performance, music, puppetry or theater may submit the Roster Artist Interest Form to be considered for the Mid Atlantic Tours roster for the 2024-2025 project period. Review the Roster Artist Interest Form Overview for full eligibility and more information about the program.

The Roster Artist Interest Form may be completed by the artist themselves or an agent/manager or presenter on behalf of the artist.

Submissions to the Roster Artist Interest Form will be reviewed by a curatorial advisement panel made up of peer arts workers based in the mid-Atlantic region. Final roster artist selection will be made by Mid Atlantic Arts staff based on recommendations from the curatorial advisement panel and the Presenter Interest Survey.

The Roster Artist Interest Form will close June 22, 2023.

Questions about Mid Atlantic Tours? Reach out to Program Director, Performing Arts Sarah Lewitus at slewitus@midatlanticarts.org.

*Mid Atlantic Arts’ geographic region includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, and the Native nations that share this geography.

PUBLIC DRAFT* of Program Guidelines 2023-2024    

*Final program guidelines for Mid Atlantic Tours will be released in Fall 2023. The guidelines below are meant to serve as a reference and may adjust prior to the final program guidelines launch.  

Updated May 22, 2023 

Download Public Draft of Mid Atlantic Tours Guidelines as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Download Public Draft of Mid Atlantic Tours Guidelines as an accessible Word document (click link to download) 

2023-2024 Mid Atlantic Tours: Grantee list will be available in summer 2023 

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company
Dance & Storytelling | New York

Website: https://calpullidance.org/

Founded in 2003 in NYC, Calpulli Mexican Dance Company celebrates the rich diversity of Mexican and
Mexican-American cultural heritage through dance-based programming that includes live music. Calpulli Mexican Dance Company will be touring three full-length dance theater productions: Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Navidad, and Puebla: The Story of Cinco de Mayo.

DuPont Brass
Music | Washington, DC

Website: dupontbrass.com 

DuPont Brass is a unique, soulful, brass ensemble hailing from the D.C. Metropolitan area. This 10-piece ensemble consisting of brass, a rhythm section, and vocalists offers activities including a live concert and workshop based on their educational curriculum that has a variety of options to engage audiences from childhood to adulthood.

From China to Appalachia: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian 
Music; world music, multi-genre roots music | Maryland

Website: https://www.cathymarcy.com/from-china-to-appalachia

GRAMMY Award winning American Roots artists Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer join with Chinese classica
hammered dulcimer player Chao Tian in a show that combines music from China to Appalachia and beyond. Instrumentation includes yangqin (Chinese hammered dulcimer), gourd banjo, five-string banjo, ukulele, guitars, dumbek, cello-banjo and mandolin. Songs are both in English and in Chinese.

The Legendary Ingramettes
Gospel | Virginia

Website: https://legendaryingramettes.com/

Six decades of music, sixty-five years of song, generations tied together through the force of will of a matriarchy of powerful Black women. Crowned Richmond, Virginia’s “First Family of Gospel Music,” The Legendary Ingramettes bring explosive energy and powerful vocals backed by a rock-solid house-shaking rhythm section that moves the body and the spirit.

Martha Redbone 
Americana/ Roots | New York

Website: https://sroartists.com/artists/martharedbone/

With songs and storytelling that share her life experience as a Native and Black woman and mother in the new millennium, Martha Redbone gives voice to issues of social justice, bridging traditions from past to present, connecting cultures, and celebrating the human spirit.

Virtual Engagement Guidelines

Acknowledging the performing arts’ ongoing reality of utilizing virtual platforms for performance and other engagement, Mid Atlantic Arts will continue to take a flexible approach to our program policies for grantees through June 30, 2024 (timeline may be extended). While we believe that live, in-person performances are hard to replace, we also acknowledge that adaptive virtual approaches will ensure continued access to arts experiences. In some cases, engaging virtually may be preferential over in-person—for example, to increase access for audiences and/or artists across geographies and for people with disabilities.

Please read the Virtual Engagement Guide linked below to understand the requirements of presenting your funded engagement as a virtual presentation:

Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as an accessible Word document (Click link to download)

Changes in Project Proposal

Changes in the content, schedule, or budget set forth in the Application must be submitted in writing to Mid Atlantic Arts before being implemented with the exception of those listed below.

Changes that do not require approval:

• The change of switching to a virtual presentation if this change meets the requirements included in the Virtual Engagement Guidance available on our website in the Manage Your Grant tab on our website.
• Changes in project venues or touring locations, as long as: all project locations are fully accessible in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, or specific accommodations will be made appropriately (see Section 8; Compliance with Statutes and Regulations); and, the constituency to be reached is the same as originally approved.
• Addition or removal of auxiliary programming that was not included in the Application as long as it does not impact the overall project scope
• Revisions to the budget of non-artist fee line item expenses as long as a 1:1 match is maintained.
• Revisions to the budget of income sources as long as a 1:1 match is maintained.

Payment

Please see your Grant Award Agreement for terms of payment.

Grantee may elect to receive all grant payments by ACH electronic funds transfer. If you wish to sign up for ACH payments, download the ACH Authorization Form and follow the instructions on the form.

Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting

Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included as Exhibit A of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below. Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required crediting materials must be submitted as part of the final report.

Credit and Logo Usage Details

The following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo MUST appear in all programs, websites and press releases produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. In addition, the following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo should be included whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary, in all flyers and postcards, email communications, season brochures, social media posts and calendars, and any other print or electronic promotional and publicity materials produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project.

This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered in any way.

This engagement of [ARTIST] is made possible through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Download Mid Atlantic Arts Logo

Website Link

Grantees are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link MUST remain active during the entire length of your grant period with Mid Atlantic Arts. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic Arts’ logo.

Final Reports

Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement.

For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Delise White, Support Specialist at delise@midatlanticarts.org or 410.539.6656 x112.

For grants awarded for program year 2022 and earlier (5 digit grant number starting with a 3):

Final report requirements and instructions were included as Exhibit B of the Grant Award Agreement.

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ eGRANT portal at https://midatlanticarts.egrant.net.

The eGRANT account used to submit the application for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the “Forgot Password?” link on the login page just above the log in fields.

For grants awarded for program year 2023 and later (8 digit grant numbers starting with “2023-”):

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ grant portal at https://midatlanticarts.smartsimple.com.

The SmartSimple account used to submit the application for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the “Forgot Password?” link on the SmartSimple portal page, below the purple “Log In” button, to reset your password.

Photo: SEOJUNGMIN. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

About

Open to presenters nationwide, the Performing Arts Global Exchange (PAGE) is an annually curated roster of international performing artists selected to tour to communities across the United States. The program provides fee support directly to nonprofit presenters programming artists from the roster, and presenters host both public performances and community engagements in achieving the program’s goals of cultural exchange and understanding.

Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the current PAGE cycle will present U.S. tours in 2023 – 2024. Artists on the roster have not widely toured in the United States and reside in a selected region. This year’s roster features music artists or ensembles based in South Korea.

Why Performing Arts Global Exchange?

This year, Performing Arts Global Exchange will feature a roster of artists based in South Korea. Featuring exclusively music ensembles, this roster (being announced in February of 2023) offers presenters the opportunity to affordably feature international artists in their programming and community engagement activities.

Questions? Contact Andrew Alness Olson, Program Director, International at andrew@midatlanticarts.org.

Performing Arts Global Exchange is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

How artists are selected for the PAGE roster:

The 2023 – 2024 curation of the Performing Arts Global Exchange roster from South Korea involves many voices.

1. Curators living and working in the region of focus are selected each cycle by Mid Atlantic Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to provide artist roster suggestions. The curators have expertise in the performing arts specifically in the selected region.
2. Next, feedback on these potential roster artists is gathered via an online survey of U.S. presenters.
3. Mid Atlantic Arts and the NEA select the final roster, weighing presenter feedback and program goals. (Approximately February 2023)

Presenters who would like to provide feedback on the roster artists under consideration via survey should contact Program Director, International Andrew Alness Olson at andrew@midatlanticarts.org.

The Curators:

Han Ji-young
Han Ji-young is a programmer of the Jeonju International Sori Festival in South Korea. She studied Cultural Anthropology and Art history and has worked on performance programs at arts centers, museums, and festivals for over 20 years. The Jeonju International Sori Festival is an international music festival that showcases various foreign traditional and world musics, while centering Korean traditional music, and promotes exchange among them. Han Ji-young has produced music collaboration programs with Poland, Belgium, France, Canada, Japan, Mongolia, Spain, and India. She also supports international projects of traditional Korean musicians and promotes Korean culture.

Dr. Hee-sun Kim
Dr. Hee-sun Kim is an internationally active professor, ethnomusicologist, journalist, cultural administrator, and artistic director. Currently, she is a professor at Kookmin University and a professional member of the National Heritage Committee of the Cultural Heritage Administration. From 2016 to 2020 she was the Director of the Division of Music Research at the National Gugak Center, Korea, and was a chair of ICTM MEA (International Council for Traditional Music, Musics of East Asia Study Group) from 2018 to 2022. She obtained her Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include the modernization process of traditional Korean music, the mobilization of “world music” into Asia, and Korean Wave and K-pop. She contributed a chapter in Presence through Sound: Music and Place in East Asia (Routledge, 2020) and Vamping the Stage: Female Voices of Asian Modernities (University of Hawaii Press, 2017). As a Korean music and world music specialist, she established Korean World Music Cultural Foundation in 2012 and collaborated with various festivals and cultural institutions including Asia Society in New York. She also served as an artistic director of several concert series including the “Tea Garden Music Festival” and international music festivals including the “Kingston Welcomes Korea Festival” in London.

Victor M.K. Kye
After having worked at the LG Arts Center as music producer for 6 years, Victor M.K. Kye has worked as the Director of the Jarasum Jazz Festival since 2007. He has also served as the program director for the Gwangju World Music Festival (a.k.a the ACC World Music Festival), the Jazzpresso Festival, the Sea and Jazz Festival, the Yeowoorak festival, the Hi Seoul Festival, and Voyage to Jarasum. He has also worked on Korean traditional music projects and has been a music producer for around 15 years.

Booking Guidelines

The guidelines below are for the 2024 program, booking now, which features music artists from South Korea. Have a question about the guidelines? Contact Andrew Alness Olson, Program Director, International.

Program Guidelines as a Word doc (opens in a new window)
Program Guidelines as a PDF (opens in a new window)

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South Korea

CelloGayageum

CelloGayageum is a unique intercultural musical duo consisting of cellist Sol Daniel Kim and Gayageum player Dayoung Yoon. The idea to create this duo came from their visit to the “Pavillon of Unification” in Berlin, a city shaped by a tragic history of war, division, and reunion. By seamlessly blending the musical cultures and instruments of the cello and Gayageum, they create a harmonious symbiosis in both sound and style.

Since their formation in 2016, CelloGayageum has received recognition and awards including the Soorim Culture Prize, as well as a grant from the Seoul Foundation of Arts and Culture to produce their first album, South Wave, North Wind. In 2020, they were named “Artist of the Year” by the Jeongdong Theater in Seoul.

In addition to their musical pursuits, CelloGayageum is also committed to sharing their love of traditional South Korean music with a wider audience. They have appeared on popular Korean primetime TV shows such as KBS, JTBC, and MBN, and have toured in Asia, including Japan and Turkey, as well as throughout Europe in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and Spain.

On this tour, CelloGayageum will present original compositions from their new album titled “2.0”. The music is based on Korean traditional music and classical chamber music, with a hint of jazz, bluegrass, and flamenco. CelloGayageum is also keen on community engagement programs such as workshops and masterclasses for both general audiences and professional musicians. The programs will share general knowledge of Korean traditional music and instruments, and the duo’s unique approach to blending Korean music and western music.

Watch: HANYANG | Am Kanal | WonTak | Club KOM Showcase
Traveling: 2 Artists + 1 Support Staff
Technical specifications: Tech Rider
Web: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
To book, contact: Shawn Choi | shawn@sori.nyc

Coreyah

Coreyah is a psychedelic Korean folk music group whose six members integrate traditional Korean instruments, vocals, guitar, and percussion. Since their 2010 debut, Coreyah has pioneered a new style of Korean music that blends genres of contemporary ethnic and popular sounds while still maintaining the distinctive characteristics of traditional Korean instruments. The group’s unique freewheeling, polystylistic vision combines a variety of influences, including Anglo-American rock, Balkan gypsy, and genres from South America and Africa.

Coreyah has toured around the world visiting over 50 cities in 34 countries, and continues to delight audiences at home and abroad. Coreyah was recently featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert in June 2020 and performed three songs from their new album.

Coreyah released their 4th album “Clap & Applause” in July 2020. This new album celebrates their 10th anniversary with a dance-inducing, exciting new vision for Korean world music. Korean traditional rhythms combine with toe-tapping and hand-clapping dance beats set to the sounds of the soulful daegeum flute, electrifying geomungo zither, and fierceful janggu hourglass drum. Coreyah’s latest album continues their long-standing effort to infuse pop into traditional music through bold, youthful style, heartfelt lyrics, and a psychedelic sound.

The name Coreyah is a Sino-Korean homonym that refers to the inheritance of the past and also in Korean means “whale”—the group’s good luck charm.

Band Members: Kim Dongkun (daegeum, sogeum, tungso), Ham Boyoung (vocal), Kim Chorong (percussion, Chulhyungeum), Kyungyi (percussion), Na Sunjin (geomungo), and Ko Jaehyeon (guitar).

Watch: NPR Tiny Desk Home Concert | Live Clip | Yellow Flower Music Video | Full Concert
Traveling: 6 Artists + 1 Technician + 1 Support Staff
Technical specifications: Tech Rider
Web: Website | Instagram | Spotify
To book, contact: Shawn Choi | shawn@sori.nyc

Second Moon

Evoking Korean traditional Pansori sounds and mixed with Western instrumentals, Second Moon is a dynamic 7-member band that has been making waves since their formation in 2004. Combining two very different genres of music, Second Moon brings a unique sound to the stage as they fuse Korean Pansori, a style of musical storytelling, with Irish music by incorporating instruments like Irish whistle, bodhran, and mandolin. The band gained recognition in 2006 when they were selected for “Rookie of the Year” and “Record of the Year” at the Korean Music Awards, and their music was featured in the hit TV drama Princess Hours.

Second Moon continued to push musical boundaries with their album Pansori Chunhyangga – a fusion of traditional Pansori and world music – which won the “Best Jazz and Crossover” award at the 2017 Korea Music Awards. A highlight of the band’s career was performing at the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

In the 2023-24 season, Second Moon brings music from their award-winning album PansoriChunhyangga, which reimagines the main passages of the Chunhyangga, one of the best known love stories and folk tales of Korea.

Band Members: Hyunbo Kim (guitar, mandolin, bodhran, Irish whistle), Younghoon Lee (guitar), Jinkyung Choi (piano, accordion), Yunjeong Jo (violin), Jingo Park (bass), Jongsun Park (drums), and Danhae Oh (vocals)

Watch: Pansori Chunhyangga Selection | Enemy Song | Goodbye Song | Song of Love
Traveling: 7 Artists + 1 Technician + 1 Support Staff
Technical specifications: Tech Rider
Web: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
To book, contact: Shawn Choi | shawn@sori.nyc

Seo Jungmin

Gayageum artist Seo Jungmin transforms living moments into music. Seo blurs the boundaries between traditional and contemporary music, documenting special moments with the 25-string Gayageum. As a member of the highly acclaimed traditional Korean music duo Su:m, Seo has performed globally at WOMEX UK, WOMAD Australia, WOMAD New Zealand, and SXSW. In 2016, Seo released her first solo album COSMOS 25. This album earned a nomination in the “Excellent Crossover Album” category at the 2017 Korean Music Awards and “World Music Album” entry at the 60th Grammy Awards. Her concert HOME was selected as “Repertoire of the Year” by Arts Council Korea.

On this tour, Seo Jungmin will present her most recent works and compositions, including One, My Utopia! which was presented at the 2022 CINARS Biennale and was honored with the title of PAMS Choice at the Performing Arts Market Seoul in 2021.

Watch: Cosmic Tree | One, My Utopia! Interview | ONE, My Utopia! | Horned Holly | Cosmos 25
Traveling: 3 Artists + 1 Technician + 1 Support Staff
Technical specifications: Tech Rider
Web: Website | Facebook | Spotify
To book, contact: Shawn Choi | shawn@sori.nyc

SE:UM

In 2013, a group of jazz players and Korean traditional musicians started to play jam sessions based on traditional Korean folk melodies and shamanistic rhythms, eventually forming SE:UM. The eclectic quintet is comprised of saxophonist Hachul Song, trumpeter Jongsang Park, bassist Jaeha Lee, traditional percussionist Minhyung Lee, and gayageum (twelve-stringed Korean zither) player and music director Joon Lee. The members of SE:UM have learned to respect one another’s musicalities over the years, and succeeded in breaking down the borders between their musical conventions, finding balance and harmony in their own music.

In 2015 SE:UM’s debut album was nominated for Best Crossover Album and Best Jazz & Crossover Performance at the Korea Music Awards. They were also selected as a Choice Artist by the two biggest international performing arts markets in Korea, PAMS and APaMM. In the same year, SE:UM made a splash at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, receiving the highest five-star review where BroadwayBaby described the band as “bringing jazz and Korean traditions together, SE:UM have found the perfect recipe…the artistry of the instrument playing is astounding; from saxophone to traditional stringed instrument gayageum, these musicians know how to manipulate the audience’s emotions.” Since then, SE:UM has performed around the world from the UAE to the US, and expanded its musical boundaries collaborating with ever diverse partners.

On this tour they will perform a concert titled “Korean Breath: Ten Thousand Waves” which includes music from their most recent album, Ten Thousand Waves. Recorded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the album is based on the Korean folktale about the legendary bamboo pipe that saved the perilous world. SE:UM wishes to spread out hope and comfort to the US audience like ten thousand waves.

Watch: Origin | Ten Thousand Waves | Circle | Tide | Niani
Traveling: 5 Artists + 1 Technician + 1 Support
Technical specifications: Tech Rider
Web: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
To book, contact: Shawn Choi | shawn@sori.nyc

2022-2023 Australia and New Zealand

Atamira Dance Company | “Te Wheke”

Atamira Dance Company was formed as a collective in 2000 by Māōri contemporary dance graduates Jack Gray, Dolina Wehipeihana, Louise Potiki Bryant and Justine Hohaia as a platform to bring young Māori perspectives and experiences to the stage.

Atamira is currently celebrating their 21st year of indigenous dance making and is regarded as one of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance companies renowned for highly artistic and inventive work. Over two decades Atamira has created and toured a large body of dance works driven by choreographic and design excellence maintaining their position at the forefront of cultural and technical innovation.

Their collective of Māori choreographers and dance artists shape and share Matauranga Māori (knowledge) with national and global audiences inspired by historical events, personal whakapapa (genealogy) and their unique cultural landscape. Atamira has toured extensively within Aotearoa and internationally to Australia, Noumea, the USA, Taiwan, Korea and China.

“Te Wheke” is a Māōri Contemporary Dance work of legacy and succession commemorating the 21 years of creative existence of Atamira Dance Company. Te Wheke is the Octopus, a symbol of strength, resilience and aroha/love and a powerful tohu for many Oceanic peoples, appearing in different mythologies.

Created in collaboration by eight leading Māori choreographic practitioners & embodied by eight dancers, Te Wheke speaks to the different dimensions of human experience, each symbolized by one tentacle of this mighty guardian. Explored through a Māōri knowledge base these are life essence, the physical body, the emotions, the mind, the ancestors and human dignity/ value. Solo and ensemble expressions of darkness and light occur within shape shifting worlds of floating black silk. Layers of symbolism emanate through AV patterning and mesmeric soundscapes with subtle lighting both revealing and hiding.

Grantees include:

• The Joyce Theater, New York, NY
• Kahilu Theatre, Waimea, HI
• Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Kahului, HI
• University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA
• University of Hawaii at Manoa Outreach College, Honolulu, HI

Trick of the Light | The Griegol

Trick of the Light is an award-winning theatre company from Aotearoa/New Zealand, founded by Hannah Smith and Ralph McCubbin Howell. They are renowned for their engaging, nuanced stories and inventive design, with shows for a cross-over audience of adults and older children. Previous works include “The Road That Wasn’t There” (Production of the Year – Wellington Theatre Awards 2013; Children’s Event Award – Fringe World, Perth 2016; Best Children’s Event – Adelaide Fringe 2016); “Tröll” (Outstanding Theatre Award – Fringe Review, Edinburgh, 2019); and “The Bookbinder” (Best of the Fringe – NZ Fringe 2014, International Excellence Award – Sydney Fringe Festival 2014, BDO Children’s Theatre Award – Fringe World, Perth 2015)—a solo show which has toured across NZ, Australia, Canada, the UK, USA, and South Africa, from sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe to the attic of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s oldest bookbindery.

The Griegol is a show without words about death, love, and monsters. After their grandmother passes away, a child suspects they are being pursued by the smoke demon shapeshifter of the old woman’s stories. In the tradition of Spirited Away and Coraline, The Griegol is a gorgeously rendered dark fantasy for older children and adults. Drawing from the techniques of early cinema, it conjures magic from silhouettes, smoke, puppetry, live music, and live animation. With the operation kept in sight, audiences see both the stage effects and how they are made. Just as the staging combines hi-fi with lo-fi technology, the story combines the mythic and magic with the domestic and every day, and a through line of light and love that carries through the darkness.

Grantees include:

• Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD
• Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, NH
• McLean Community Center, McLean, VA
• Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Lewisburg, PA
• West Branch Arts Consortium, Muncy, PA

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks

Acclaimed Indigenous vocalist Emma Donovan and rhythm combo The Putbacks first burst on to the Australian scene with their album, Dawn in 2014, announcing a new voice in Australian soul music. After six years, the band reunited launching the ARIA-nominated Crossover in 2020 to great acclaim and then the top-selling knockout Under These Streets in 2021.

Emma’s songwriting is optimistic, impassioned, and bruisingly honest; The Putbacks’ music is fluid, live, and raw, and the collaboration has won friends and admirers all over the world.

Emma Donovan grew up singing church songs with her grandparents on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, and her first secular gigs were singing in the family band, The Donovans, with her mother and five uncles. Throughout her career, she has toured and recorded with many of the mainstays of Indigenous music, from Archie Roach to Dan Sultan, and was a member of the Black Arm Band project. It was in this group that Emma met members of The Putbacks and their journey together began. The Putbacks are stone-cold pros, grizzled veterans of all the tours and all the studios. When they come together, they’re one of the tightest, sharpest, slickest, most dynamic musical units ever to exist. Their collaboration with Emma elevates their music and Emma’s songs to another level.

Sharing traditional Indigenous language and storytelling is important to Emma Donovan & The Putbacks. The “Crossover” tour, where the band perform music from their critically acclaimed 2020 album, will unveil new ways to tell these stories so audiences can learn and discover a part of Australia’s history. Throughout the Emma Donovan & The Putbacks performance of this album, Emma tells stories, explaining the lyrics and words of the songs providing an understanding of traditional Indigenous language. Emma Donovan & The Putbacks aim to collaborate with artists—both local and international—to continue this sharing of music and preservation of language into the future. By touring across the United States, Emma Donovan and The Putbacks will grow their audiences and continue the discussion around the history and traditional culture of Australia and how it is defined for future generations.

Grantees include:

• The Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Kahului, HI
• The Myrna Loy, Helena, MT
• Pittsburgh Playhouse, Pittsburgh, PA
• Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland, OR
• Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY

Ngaiire

Hailing from the Eastern Highlands and New Ireland provinces of Papua New Guinea, though now Sydney Australia-based, Ngaiire (pronounced NYE-ree) has a career that crosses genre and artform. The recipient of 4 ARIA Award (Australia’s Grammys) nominations, an fbi Radio SMAC Award for best live act, and the inaugural Australian Women in Music Award for Artistic Excellence, Ngaiire’s albums have been celebrated around the world. Her work has seen her grace the stages of Glastonbury to Splendour in the Grass; go on national tours alongside the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Alicia Keys, Flume, and Leon Bridges; compose for dance companies; and have her work exhibited in art spaces. With 2020 rendering the live touring circuit dormant, Ngaiire has surprisingly still been able to kick some significant goals. This year, she became the first musician to play in front of the National Press Club in Canberra, became the first Papua New Guinean to appear on ABC’s “Play School” (Australia’s “Sesame Street”), the first Papua New Guinean to be painted for the historical Archibald prize, as well as have her first ever piece as an artist exhibited at the iconic Art Gallery of NSW.

A performance from Ngaiire and her full touring band melds electronic neo-soul, gospel, and big pop sounds, strained through the lens of a first nations Papuan New Guinean songwriter. As one of the premiere touring live artists in Australia, Ngaiire is often lauded as the finest voice in the country. This voice has seen her release three critically and commercially celebrated albums. It’s also seen her songs be selected for use across multiple USA TV shows, most notably the gospel torch song, “Fall Into My Arms,” being chosen for use in Oprah Winfrey/Ava DuVernay’s TV show “Queen Sugar.” Touring as a 6-piece ensemble, Ngaiire’s shows give the audience the full spectrum of live performance: one moment will be a pop banger, and the next she will break your heart.

Grantees include:

• Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA
• Alberta Bair Theater, Billings, MT
• Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD
• Quad City Arts, Rock Island, IL
• Weinberg Center for the Arts, Frederick, MD
• Woodstock Arts, Woodstock, GA

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C.

Virtual Engagement Guidance

As arts presenting organizations evolve in response to a changing landscape, Mid Atlantic Arts will continue to take a flexible approach to our program policies during this time. While we believe that live, in-person performances are hard to replace, we are also open to adaptive approaches that will ensure continued access to these arts experiences. Therefore, we are glad to announce the following policy for virtual engagements as an option for our grantees to fulfill their public performance and community engagement activity requirements.

Please read the full guidance document to understand the requirements of presenting your funded engagement as a virtual presentation. We have also included links to a few resources that may help you guide your decisions around virtual presentation.

Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as an accessible Word document (Click link to download)

Changes in Project Proposal

Any changes in the content, schedule, or budget of your project as proposed must be submitted in writing for approval prior to being implemented. Requested changes must be submitted to Phillip Harmon, Director of Operations, at phillip@midatlanticarts.org.

Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting

Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included as Exhibit A of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below. Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required crediting materials must be submitted as part of the final report.

Credit and Logo Usage Details

The following statement, and where space permits, the logos of Mid Atlantic Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts MUST appear in all programs, websites and press releases produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. In addition, the following statement and logo should be included whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary, in all flyers and postcards, email communications, season brochures, social media posts and calendars, and any other print or electronic promotional and publicity materials produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project.

• This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered in any way:

For Australia and New Zealand PAGE tours:

This engagement of [ARTIST] is made possible in part through the Performing Arts Global Exchange program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts with assistance from the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C.

• Download Mid Atlantic Arts Logo
• Download National Endowment for the Arts logo

Website Link

Grantees are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at https://www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link must remain active during the entire length of your grant period with Mid Atlantic Arts. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic’s logo.

Final Reports

Final report requirements and instructions are included as Exhibit B of the Grant Award Agreement.

Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement.

Final reports are completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ eGRANT system at https://midatlanticarts.egrant.net.  Please read the instructions in the eGRANT system carefully.

The account used to submit the Common Information Form for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the link on the eGRANT login page to retrieve the information.

For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Phillip Harmon, Director of Operations, at phillip@midatlanticarts.org or 410.539.6656 x109.

Photo: The Delaware Friends of Folk (Dover, DE) presented ILYAIMY at the Delmarva Folk Festival with support from the Special Presenter Initiatives. Credit: John Kidd.

Mid Atlantic Arts, in partnership with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA), The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP), the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA), and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History (WVDCH), offers a special funding initiative to support the presentation of professional performing artists/ensembles at small and mid-size arts and community organizations within these jurisdictions. The program supports presenting projects with professional touring artists and ensembles from anywhere worldwide. The supported projects include performances as well as community engagement activities that enhance the performance experience and offer meaningful exchanges between touring artists and a presenter’s community.

Presenters based in partner states/jurisdictions listed above can receive up to 50% subsidy for the presentation of an artist/company (including artistic compensation, housing, per diem and travel) plus support for other eligible project expenses.

Mid Atlantic Arts is committed to supporting diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible programming in our region. Projects that demonstrate clear mission impact, strong artistry, well-rounded community and artist engagements, and thoughtful and inclusive efforts to engage audiences systemically underserved by the arts are encouraged to apply.

Special Presenter Initiatives program timeline:

• November 15, 2022: Application opens
• December 7, 2022; 11am-12pm ET: Special Presenter Initiatives Webinar
  February 15, 2023; 11am-12pm ET: Special Presenters Initiative Webinar
• March 14, 2023: Application deadline

Questions? Contact Sarah Lewitus, Program Director, Performing Arts and Accessibility at slewitus@midatlanticarts.org.

The Special Presenter Initiatives program is made possible through the support of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program.

For presenters based in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and the Native nations that share this geography:

The guidelines below are for information purposes only. The deadline to apply for the 2023 Special Presenter Initiatives program was March 14, 2023.

GUIDELINES

Download 2023-2024 Special Presenter Initiatives Guidelines as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Download 2023-2024 Special Presenter Initiatives Guidelines as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

APPLICATION NARRATIVE PREVIEW QUESTIONS 

Download a preview copy of Special Presenter Initiatives Narrative Preview Questions as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Download a preview copy of Special Presenter Initiatives Narrative Preview Questions as an accessible Word document (click link to download)

WEBINAR
Special Presenters Initiative Webinar

View a recording of the Special Presenter Initiatives program overview webinar.
View a transcript of the Special Presenter Initiatives webinar.

2022-2023

Please check with the performance venue to confirm dates and times, and for ticket information.

Delaware

• Choir School of Delaware, Inc. presenting Dr. Rollo Dilworth, PA
• Coastal Concerts, Inc. presenting Amy J. Yang, PA
• Coastal Concerts, Inc. presenting Curtis On Tour, PA
• Delaware Friends of Folk presenting Shafaat Khan, PA
• Delaware Symphony Association presenting Michelle Cann, PA
• Grand Opera House, Inc. presenting Kevin Spencer and Hocus Focus, Inc., PA
• Grand Opera House, Inc. presenting YAMATO – The Drummers of Japan, Japan

District of Columbia

• Dumbarton Concerts, Inc. presenting Community Music “Swing Sisters”, MD/ NC
• Washington Performing Arts presenting Emanuel Ax, NY
• Woolly Mammoth Theater Company presenting Royal Court Theatre in Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner, United Kingdom

U.S. Virgin Islands

• The Forum, Inc. presenting the Escher Quartet, NY
• The Forum, Inc. presenting Julian Gargiulo, NY
• St. John School of the Arts presenting Escher Quartet, NY ft. Terrence Wilson, NJ
• St. John School of the Arts presenting the Provost/Brown Duo, MD

West Virginia

• ArtsLink, Inc., presenting Trout Fishing in America, AR
• Beckley Concert Association presenting Judy Carmichael, NY
• FOOTMAD presenting Dance of Hope, Uganda
• Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation presenting Michael Winograd & The Honorable Mentshn, NY
• Shepherd University presenting Kevin Locke, SD

Virtual Engagement Guidance

Acknowledging the performing arts’ ongoing reality of utilizing virtual platforms for performance and other engagement, Mid Atlantic Arts will continue to take a flexible approach to our program policies for grantees through June 30, 2024 (timeline may be extended). While we believe that live, in-person performances are hard to replace, we also acknowledge that adaptive virtual approaches will ensure continued access to arts experiences. In some cases, engaging virtually may be preferential over in-person—for example, to increase access for audiences and/or artists across geographies and for people with disabilities.

Please read the Virtual Engagement Guide linked below to understand the requirements of presenting your funded engagement as a virtual presentation:

Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as a PDF (link opens in a new window)
Mid Atlantic Arts Virtual Engagement Guide as an accessible Word document (Click link to download)

Changes in Project Proposal

Changes in the content, schedule, or budget set forth in the Application must be submitted in writing to Mid Atlantic Arts before being implemented with the exception of those listed below. 

Changes that do not require approval: 

• The change of switching to a virtual presentation if this change meets the requirements included in the Virtual Engagement Guidance available on our website in the Manage Your Grant tab on our website. 

• Changes in project venues or touring locations, as long as: all project locations are fully accessible in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, or specific accommodations will be made appropriately (see Section 8; Compliance with Statutes and Regulations); and, the constituency to be reached is the same as originally approved. 

• Addition or removal of auxiliary programming that was not included in the Application as long as it does not impact the overall project scope 

• Revisions to the budget of non-artist fee line item expenses as long as a 1:1 match is maintained. 

• Revisions to the budget of income sources as long as a 1:1 match is maintained. 

Payment 

Please see your Grant Award Agreement for terms of payment. 

Grantee may elect to receive all grant payments by ACH electronic funds transfer. If you wish to sign up for ACH payments, download the ACH Authorization Form and follow the instructions on the form. 

Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting

Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included as Exhibit A of the Grant Award Agreement. 

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below. Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required crediting materials must be submitted as part of the final report. 

Credit and Logo Usage Details 

The following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo must appear in all programs, websites and press releases produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. In addition, the following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo should be included whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary, in all flyers and postcards, email communications, season brochures, social media posts and calendars, and any other print or electronic promotional and publicity materials produced by the funded organization or its agents in relation to the funded project. 

This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered:  

This engagement of [ARTIST] is made possible in part through the Special Presenter Initiatives program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

• Download Mid Atlantic Arts Logo

Website Link
Grantees are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at https://www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link must remain active during the entire length of your grant period with Mid Atlantic Arts. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic Arts’ logo. 

Final Reports

Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement. 

For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Delise White, Support Specialist at delise@midatlanticarts.org or 410.539.6656×112. 

For grants awarded for program year 2022 and earlier (5 digit grant number starting with a 3): 

Final report requirements and instructions were included as Exhibit B of the Grant Award Agreement. 

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ eGRANT portal at https://midatlanticarts.egrant.net.  

The eGRANT account used to submit the application for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the “Forgot Password?” link on the login page just above the log in fields. 

For grants awarded for program year 2023 and later (8 digit grant numbers starting with “2023-”): 

Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts’ grant portal at https://midatlanticarts.smartsimple.com.  

The SmartSimple account used to submit the application for the grant must be used to complete the final report. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the “Forgot Password?” link on the SmartSimple portal page, below the purple “Log In” button, to reset your password.