[MASTA] FW: Ovation, Comcast, MCACA Sponsor Arts & Culture Trek Grant Program

[Diane Winder]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Michigan Youth Arts
301 W 4th St, Ste 415
Royal Oak, MI 48067
michiganyoutharts.org
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OVATION, COMCAST, AND MICHIGAN COUNCIL FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS WILL AWARD 
 $100,000 IN ARTS & CULTURE TREK GRANTS TO MICHIGAN SCHOOLS DURING THE  2012-2013
CALENDAR YEAR
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ROYAL OAK, Michigan (November 8, 2012) - Michigan Youth Arts Association, and the
co-sponsors of its Arts & Culture Trek Grant Program, Ovation and Comcast, will 
award over $20,000 in grants to Michigan K-12 schools statewide to cover the cost
of transportation for an arts and culture related field trip. The program will support
field trips for 5,878 students in sixty schools throughout the state for field trips
taking place November 1, 2012 through February 28, 2013. The Arts & Culture Trek
 grant is an extension of the original program supported by the Michigan Council
 for Arts and Cultural Affairs, which awarded $35,000 in grants to 101 schools this
past spring. In continuation of the program, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural
Affairs is working once again with Michigan Youth Arts to award an additional $45,000
in bus grants for field trips taking place March 1 through May 31, 2013. Applications
will be accepted for this cycle starting Monday, December 3, 2012 and are due by
 Friday, January 25, 2013.

"For many children, this is the only field trip of the year, as PTO fundraising 
falls short and districts across the state have to decrease funding for field trip
excursions," said Sonia Tower, Vice President of Community Relations for Ovation.
"Ovation's mission is to create access to the arts for all Americans and this program
advances that agenda. By providing kids with a hands-on experience, their curriculum
is not only enhanced, their creativity and innovation is encouraged, ultimately 
leaving a long-lasting impression on students who may never get the chance to connect
with these centers of artistic and cultural wealth otherwise."

Educators chose from a list of nearly 150 arts and cultural institutions that offer
educational programming, exhibits and performances outside the classroom, which 
enhance the arts and humanities curriculum. Reviewers score applicants on four basic
components: eligibility, educational goals, collaboration with the hosting organization,
and the need of the school. In a recent survey released by Michigan Youth Arts entitled
Arts Education in Michigan, it was discovered that 45 percent of schools cited transportation
costs as a significant barrier to arts-related field trips.

"The partnership with the Michigan Youth Arts Association to provide these Trek 
grants has been amazing" said John Bracey, Executive Director of the Michigan Council
for Arts and Cultural Affairs. "It has been abundantly clear, through the arts education
survey project, that there are so many kids in this state, who without the support
of this program, would never have the opportunity to experience the incredible arts
and cultural activities our Michigan organizations can provide."

"Comcast supports educational and community efforts, such as the Trek grants, because
it helps to foster the building blocks of ingenuity that we look for in future employees
of our company," stated Mary Beth Halprin, Vice President of Public Relations and
Community Investment for Comcast's Heartland Region. "We are pleased to partner 
with Ovation and the Michigan Youth Arts Association to make these field trips opportunities
available for Michigan students."

In addition to the bus grants, Comcast will commit $25,000 in-kind media support
 for Michigan Youth Arts Association to launch the "I Am Arts Education" PSA campaign
from October through December on local cable networks.

"The support from Ovation, Comcast and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural
Affairs comes during a critical point in shaping the education of our children when
creativity is an important part of their overall growth. Through programs like the
Arts and Culture Trek grant and the I Am Arts Education PSA campaign we will work
collaboratively to further promote youth participation in the arts and show the 
positive impact that arts education has on our youngest citizens," said Candy Smirnow,
Executive Director of Michigan Youth Arts Association.

"A student can only learn so much from a computer," said Bracey. "They need to stand
before the Diego Riviera murals at the DIA, they need to experience in person the
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performing, they need to see in person the work of 
the Grand Rapids Ballet or the artifacts from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
 at the Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum at Whitefish Point.... and for some of these
kids these trips may well represent a once-in-a-life-time opportunity."

A complete list of award recipients  [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=xaylpflab.0.vg9spflab.c8xo74bab.0&ts=S0835&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.michiganyoutharts.org%2Fpdf%2F2012FallTrekAwards.pdf]for
the 2012 fall cycle as well as application guidelines for the 2013 spring cycle 
may be found at www.michiganyoutharts.org/grants [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=xaylpflab.0.jzpy6djab.c8xo74bab.0&ts=S0835&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.michiganyoutharts.org%2Fgrants]

# # #

About Ovation

Ovation is a network devoted to artists and every kind of artistic expression. Ovation
programming is a one-of-a-kind mix of original and selectively curated series, films,
documentaries and specials. The network reaches a national audience of 51 million
homes and is available on cable systems across the country, as well as nationally
on DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-Verse. Ovation is also available in HD
 and VOD (both in standard and high definition). Ovation extends its linear channel
experience for viewers online via its popular website, www.ovationtv.com . In addition,
Ovation is also active in the social media space. See the Ovation Facebook page 
for the latest information and conversations about the network and the arts: http://Ovtn.tv/fb.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's
leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and 
services. Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through
Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment,
news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal. Comcast
Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers
to residential and business customers. Comcast is the majority owner and manager
 of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks,
 the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television
production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.

About Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs

Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, part of the Michigan Economic Development
Corporation, serves to encourage, initiate and facilitate an enriched artistic, 
cultural and creative environment in Michigan. For more on its initiatives and programs,
visit www.michiganadvantage.org/arts.

About Michigan Youth Arts

Michigan Youth Arts is an alliance that develops, supports and advocates excellence
in arts education for all. Programming consists of statewide arts education programs,
advocacy, grantmaking, and the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, celebrating its 50th
anniversary in 2012. Learn more at www.michiganyoutharts.org.
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