Expanding upon its Stand for the Arts Awards initiative launched last year, Ovation, America’s only arts network, is partnering with Comcast to recognize outstanding local arts, cultural and educational organizations and programs in multiple Comcast markets across the U.S., including Detroit, Chicago, and Northern California. The initiative is part of Ovation’s national arts advocacy platform called Stand for the Arts and has committed $40,000 to support these initial Comcast markets, and will increase the financial investment as the program rolls out to additional markets. The announcement was made today by John Malkin, EVP, Content Distribution, Ovation.
“The Stand for the Arts Awards program was established to provide financial awards to innovative arts organizations and programs that are creating inclusive access to artistic programming, arts education, and skills development,” commented Malkin. “For 2018, Ovation is excited to bring Comcast aboard to acknowledge outstanding arts organizations in their markets.”
The Ovation and Comcast Stand for the Arts Awards partnership kicked off in Chicago on May 7 with an event at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place recognizing the work of Collaboraction, a 21 year-old non-profit arts organization committed to the power of theatre and arts to cultivate social change around Chicago’s most-critical issues.
The event included a celebration of Collaboraction’s achievement, followed by an arts education panel discussion and special edition live taping of Broadway In Chicago Backstage, a program which features in-depth conversations with cast and creative team members from major Broadway In Chicago productions.
The distinguished panel included local arts educators and organizations and special guest Miguel Cervantes, Alexander Hamilton in HAMILTON.
The program is promoted and aired multiple times on Comcast’s Award winning regional programming CN100, channel 100 exclusively on Comcast. It will also be featured in the “Video On Demand” section for all Comcast Subscribers.
“Comcast is thrilled that Collaboraction has received the Stand for the Arts Award,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s regional senior vice president. “Collaboraction has a long history of calling attention to important issues impacting the Chicago area, and we hope this award will help the organization continue to deliver on its important mission.”
In the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Comcast has partnered with City Hall Artspace Lofts. This 53-housing-unit facility provides space that meets the residential and creative needs of artists and their families at affordable rates. The Artspace project aims to catalyze the local arts community, enhance the professional reputations of the individual artists and support their artistic growth. Funds will be used to create the “InnOVATION Station,” a technology based interactive learning and demo center housed in City Hall Artspace Lofts.
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Later this fall, upon completion of the buildout, Ovation and Comcast will be joined by the Chamber of Commerce, local officials, and resident artists at an event to celebrate the opening of the “InnOvation Station”.
“Comcast is extremely proud that Dearborn’s own City Hall Artspace Lofts is receiving the Stand for the Arts Award,” said Tim Collins, Comcast’s regional senior vice president in Michigan. “We’re excited to collaborate with City Hall Artspace Lofts and use our industry expertise to power the InnOVATION Station to meet the technology needs of its residents.”
Ovation will also be partnering with Comcast to launch an arts grant program this Fall in Northern California. The program will focus on digital inclusion. PSAs airing on Comcast’s Northern Californiasystems will solicit applications from youth digital arts programs.
For more information about Stand for the Arts and the Stand for the Arts Awards, visit: www.standforthearts.com
SOURCE Ovation
