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Follow on Google News | Louisville's Roots & Wings selected as 2015 finalist for ArtPlace America grants programBy: IDEAS 40203 Roots & Wings, an initiative created by The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage (http://www.kcaah.org/) If ultimately chosen, the grant would infuse more than $250,000 into West Louisville’s creative economy. ArtPlace will announce its 2015 grantees in June. “The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage and our partners are ecstatic to be a finalist for this prestigious recognition. The project provides a unique opportunity for the arts to play an increased role in transforming Western Louisville while also celebrating our unique history. We look forward to highlighting the vast talent and assets of those residing within our community,” said Christie J. McCravy, KCAAH Board of Directors Chair and Director, Center for Housing and Financial Empowerment for the Louisville Urban League. Roots & Wings is a unique theatre project integrating art, poetry, dance, music and performance as catalysts for restoration of self and community in West Louisville’s “Zones of Hope” neighborhoods including Russell, Shawnee, Parkland, California and Newburg. The initiative expands, formalizes, deepens and elevates the work of the 2014 production of TheSmoketown Poetry Opera (https://creativeinnovationzone.wordpress.com/ “We’re excited to continue the work that started in Smoketown last year and to be able to use our art to help build our community. I am confident that we are ready to flourish. It feels like it is finally our time,” said Newman. Roots & Wings enlists the support of experienced arts and community mentors to support a group of emerging artists as they explore the links between traditional West African and Appalachian cultures. The group will also lead peer-to-peer poetry, music and performance workshops in the “Zones of Hope” neighborhoods. “The result will be a new, interdisciplinary work of contemporary theater created by and with West Louisville’s young people to lift up their stories of struggle and triumph,” said Kim Baker, President of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts – an initiative partner. The goal of Roots & Wings is to ignite cultural production in West Louisville’s underutilized community centers and spaces while using the arts help disrupt the school to prison pipeline and bring young people back into the community. “The initiative crosses geographic, generational, and racial boundaries to celebrate Louisville’s unique cultural narrative while re-imagining and reintroducing great neighborhoods through the story telling power of theatre.” said initiative co-creator Stacy Bailey-Ndiaye, founding director of Bridge Kids International. Ultimately, Roots & Wings will help to support further development of a lasting arts infrastructure in West Louisville by using the initiative as a springboard for developing a new urban theatre company to showcase emerging talent while providing place-based training in arts administration and advocacy. “Louisville has amazing young African-American artists, we want them to know that they are supported, valued and heard,” said initiative co-creator Theo Edmonds. “It is a privilege to be on this journey with these terrific young performers.” For more information, contact Roots & Wings co-directors Stacy Bailey-Ndiaye (502-457-1910 / stacy@bridge- In addition to the Roots & Wings Project, Appalshop, located in Whitesburg, KY is also a national ArtPlace America finalist. The full list of 2015 ArtPlace America finalists can be found here:http://www.artplaceamerica.org/ End
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