Prince William Sound College receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant
by Dawson Moore |
Valdez, Alaska — Prince William Sound College (PWSC) is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $50,000. This grant will support the 2025 Valdez Theatre Conference (VTC).
In total, the NEA will award 1,135 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling more than $37 million as part of its second round of fiscal year 2024 grants.
“Projects like the Valdez Theatre Conference exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities— all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D. “So many aspects of our communities such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and the economy are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and the National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.”
“This is the largest outside donation our event has ever received,” said Conference Coordinator Dawson Moore. “The Conference was started in 1993 and has been consistently excellent over that time. We are dedicated to constant assessment and improvement, striving to provide artists with a life-changing artistic experience. The award is a testament to the strong institutional support of PWSC, spanning seven campus directors. The City of Valdez has also provided essential support through the Civic Center and their financial support of the college. Most importantly, this speaks to the quality of our programming, the way we bring together voices from across America in the world for an inspirational and educational week in the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.”
The Conference brings together over 200 theater artists for a week to present approximately 50 play readings in the Play Lab. Readings are discussed afterward by a panel of professionals and the audience, creating a weeklong immersion in dramaturgical thought. There are also classes, a cruise to Shoup Glacier, full performances, a late night Fringe Festival and a closing gala dinner with a live band.
The 32nd annual conference will be held June 8-15 this year.