Lansing JazzFest Receives $10,000 National Endowment for the Arts Grant

The Lansing JazzFest, hosted annually in Lansing's Old Town neighborhood, has been awarded the 2010 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America: Reaching Every Community grant.

The grant is offered to organizations providing opportunities for the arts to reach underserved populations, such as those limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

“The esteemed honor for the Lansing JazzFest to be an NEA grant recipient highlights our commitment to community development as a catalyst for the arts,” says Sharen Lange, executive director for the Old Town Business and Art Development Association (OTBADA), which is responsible for putting on the JazzFest.

Lansing JazzFest is a free community music festival, attracting attendees from across the city, state and region. By providing wider access to artistic and cultural excellence, the festival is making the arts accessible, which is the essential goal of the NEA.

Source: LaToya English, Old Town Business and Art Development Association

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley