For the 19th year in a row, federal money will help bring a variety of performers to the Quad Cities. The National Endowment for the Arts has approved a $45,000 grant for the next season of Quad City Arts' Visiting Artist Series.
Susan Wahlman, performing arts and arts-in-education director, says the series began in 1973 with one visiting artist, playing in schools, senior centers, and for service clubs. Since then, there've been as many as 14 each year. The first NEA grant was received in 1995, and each year, these grants account for about one-third of the series cost.
"By getting the NEA grant we also can receive local and regional grants - like the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, the Scott County Regional Authority, the Day Foundation, and lots of other grants."
For this series of grants, the NEA received 15-hundred applications, and awarded 800, for a total of $26 million.
Wahlman says the 40th season of the Visiting Artist Series begins in September with a Scottish group, the Battlefield Band, followed by an ensemble that plays Appalachian and Brazilian music. The nine visiting artists will perform a total of 160 times, for people in six counties and in two states.
(photo - coming in October as part of the Visiting Artist Series will be Meg Okura and the Pan-Asian Jazz Ensemble)