2021-2022 Mid Atlantic Tours Program
Brings Six Artist Tours to
Communities Across the Region
Baltimore, MD – October 15, 2021 – Mid Atlantic Arts has awarded $178,000 in grants supporting 46 performing arts engagements through its 2021-2022 Mid Atlantic Tours program. The grants, awarded directly to presenting organizations, will support engagements in Mid Atlantic Arts’ partner states and jurisdictions.
Mid Atlantic Tours brings the best of the performing arts to communities across the mid-Atlantic region. Presenters select from a curated roster of artists that changes annually but maintains a programmatic commitment to a diversity of performance genres, regional artist representation, and engaging with communities underserved by the arts. No lengthy application process – presenters work directly with agents and eligible organizations receive support for their project. All engagements include public or virtual performances and activities designed to foster greater appreciation for artists’ work and offer meaningful exchanges between the artists and the public.
Mid Atlantic Arts is working with all of our grantees to be as flexible as possible during the pandemic. At the time of this press release, Mid Atlantic Tours presenters and artists were working together to select engagement dates while taking into account the necessary health precautions to ensure a successful partnership. For more information on a particular engagement, please contact the venue directly.
The 2021-2022 Mid Atlantic Tours are:
Charlotte Blake Alston, PA
Charlotte Blake Alston is a nationally acclaimed storyteller and narrator who has performed throughout North America and abroad for over 30 years. She is committed to the preservation of African and African American oral storytelling traditions. Her stories include folktales, historical stories and songs that highlight the richness of those traditions.
Charlotte Blake Alston will be presented by:
- Chesterfield Cultural Arts Foundation, Chester, VA
- Cityfest, Inc., Wilmington, DE
- Forbes Center for Performing Arts/James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
- Guild Hall of Easthampton, Inc., East Hampton, NY
- The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, Selbyville, DE
- Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Millersville, PA
- Montgomery County Community College, Montgomery County, PA
- Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY
- Norwood Village Green Concert Series, Inc., Norwood, NY
- Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Garba360, NJ
Anchored by a live band and dance instructors, Garba360 reimagines a beloved Gujarati social folk dance experience (garba) and brings it to new spaces and places for all to participate. Garba360 is a joyous event with dance lessons, a dance performance, and community dancing with live music that can be done in open indoor or outdoor spaces.
Garba360 will be presented by:
- The Forum, Inc., St. Thomas, USVI
- Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
- McCarter Theater Center, Princeton, NJ
- McLean Community Center, McLean, VA
- Smith Center for the Arts, Geneva, NY
- University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD
Lakecia Benjamin and Pursuance, NY
Named by the Downbeat Magazine Critics’ Poll as Rising Star in 2020, Lakecia Benjamin’s latest album Pursuance is an intergenerational masterpiece that takes the listener on a journey through the lineage of music with the works of John and Alice Coltrane. She pays homage to those who have come before by featuring innovative bandleaders of her generation.
Lakecia Benjamin and Pursuance will be presented by:
- Arden Concert Gild, Arden, DE
- Artvolution Cultural Innovation Project, Inc., Bensalem, PA
- Contemporary Arts, Inc., Gwynn Oak, MD
- DC Jazz Festival, Washington, DC
- Fells Point Creative Alliance, Inc., Baltimore, MD
- Huntington Arts Council, Huntington, NY
- Montgomery County Community College, Montgomery County, PA
- Roxbury Arts Group, Inc., Roxbury, NY
Resistance Revival Chorus, NY
Resistance Revival Chorus is a collective of more than 60 women and non-binary singers who join together to breathe joy and song into the resistance, and to uplift and center women’s voices. The Chorus’s touring ensemble of 12-15 people will be focused on sharing the music from their debut album, which was released on Ani Difranco’s Righteous Babe Records in October 2020.
Resistance Revival Chorus will be presented by:
- The Choir School of Delaware, Inc., Wilmington, DE
- Guild Hall of Easthampton, Inc., East Hampton, NY
- The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, Selbyville, DE
- Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid, NY
- Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA
- The Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY
- South Orange Performing Arts Center, Inc., South Orange, NJ
- West Kortright Centre, Inc., East Meredith, NY
- World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
- Zoellner Arts Center, Bethlehem, PA
SQUONK, PA
Hailed as “a multi-media troupe of infinite jest with an imagination to match” by The New York Times, Squonk creates outdoor music spectacles and has performed on 3 continents and in 35 states. Squonk’s newest show, Hand to Hand, has puppeteered hands, each as big as a house, welcoming audiences back to safe, flexible, and joyful celebrations that can happen anywhere outdoors!
SQUONK will be presented by:
- ArtPark & Company, Inc., Lewiston, NY
- Erie Arts and Music Festival, Erie, PA
- Ramapo College Berrie Center, Mahwah, NJ
- Trustees of Hamilton College, Clinton, NY
- Zoellner Arts Center, Bethlehem, PA
Tom Paxton & The DonJuans, VA
Tom Paxton has become a voice of his generation, addressing issues of injustice and inhumanity, laying bare the absurdities of modern culture and celebrating the tenderest bonds of family, friends, and community. He is joined by award-winning songwriters Don Henry and Jon Vezner (The DonJuans) on this tour.
Tom Paxton & The DonJuans will be presented by:
- The 1891 Fredonia Opera House, Inc., Fredonia, NY
- Common Ground On the Hill LTD, Westminster, MD
- Deane Center for the Performing Arts, Wellsboro, PA
- The Folk Project, Morristown, NJ
- Norwood Village Green Concert Series, Inc., Norwood, NY
- Smith Center for the Arts, Geneva, NY
- Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Vienna, VA
Mid Atlantic Tours is made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Regional Touring Program with additional funding provided by the Delaware Division of the Arts.
About Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts supports artists, presenters, and organizations through unique programming, grant support, partnerships, and information sharing. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is aligned with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. We combine state and federal funding with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to nurture diverse artistic expression while connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond.
To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts visit www.midatlanticarts.org.
Contact:
Karen Newell
Director, External Affairs
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
karen@midatlanticarts.org
410.539.6656 x104