Lincoln Foundation Supports Arts Accessibility and Education in Guilford County

$359,000 in Arts Grants Awarded
Mar 15, 2013 6:05 PM ET

March 15, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Lincoln Financial Foundation is strengthening art education opportunities and access to the arts for a broad spectrum of Guilford County residents through $359,000 in grants to 12 local nonprofit organizations. The grants are a portion of more than $1.8 million in charitable funds Lincoln Foundation has allocated for Greensboro in 2013.

The Community Theatre of Greensboro (CTG) has been awarded $50,000 over two years for “How Does Our Theatre Grow,” enabling the theater to purchase historic property in downtown Greensboro.  The new offices will support expansion of youth theater education programs and serve as a catalyst for continued revitalization in downtown Greensboro.  The theater space in the new building is well-suited for CTG’s educational programs, productions by award-winning Center Stage youth performance troupes, summer camp shows and new initiatives.  The increased space will allow the development of Everyone’s a Star, a theater program for children with special needs.  The new location will make CTG easily accessible to underserved populations.

Other arts grants awarded include:

  • $140,000 over two years to the United Arts Council for its Annual Arts Fund Drive, benefitting more than 40 local artists, agencies and schools and increasing access to the arts across all cultural and economic backgrounds.
  • $35,000 to Eastern Music Festival for Encircling the City 2013, which includes concert and lecture programs for youth and senior adults.
  • $35,000 to the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra to promote Literacy Through Music, providing free concert tickets to at-risk children; support the Beginning Strings program at Peck Elementary School; and present 12 full orchestra concerts for school students.
  • $20,000 to the Green Hill Center of North Carolina for READ, Yellow and Blue, which provides early childhood literacy programs for at-risk students in Guilford County.
  • $20,000 to the Music Academy of North Carolina for Lessons for Life, a music education program for K-12 students and teachers, including Children’s Concerts, Instrument Petting Zoo field trips, band and orchestra workshops, choral programs, after-school lessons and vocal coaches.
  • $20,000 to Triad Stage to provide accessibility to productions and events through ‘Pay-What-You-Can Nights” and $10 student rush tickets.  The grant also supports the new Summer Conservatory program for high school students.
  • $10,000 to North Carolina Shakespeare Festival for the Shakespeare to Go program, which presents condensed versions of Shakespeare’s plays in elementary, middle and high schools as well as senior adult living communities.
  • $10,000 to Touring Theatre of North Carolina for the performance of The Life and Times of Fannie Lou Hamer, highlighting her struggle for civil rights in alignment with North Carolina’s Common Core Standards and enhancing social studies curricula.
  • $8,000 to Carolina Theatre for its Carolina Kids summer camp program that incorporates theater, science, literature and the arts into an entertaining and educational experience for children in Guilford County.
  • $6,000 to Dance Project, Inc., for summer dance and drumming workshops in local community centers and a series of mini-concerts at Guilford County Schools.
  • $5,000 to the Center for Visual Artists to support digital photography programs for middle school students in Guilford County.

About Lincoln Financial Foundation
The Lincoln Financial Foundation, established in 1962, is a nonprofit organization formed and supported by Lincoln Financial Group. Under Lincoln Foundation guidelines, grants are made in the areas of arts, education, human services and economic/workforce development. The Lincoln Foundation allocated more than $1.8 million to support nonprofits in Greensboro in 2012. Since 2006, the Lincoln Foundation has contributed more than $11.75 million to Greensboro-area nonprofits.

About Lincoln Financial Group:
Lincoln Financial Group has set aside almost $10 million of its pre-tax earnings for charitable causes that support philanthropic endeavors in the communities where its employees work. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $178 billion as of December 31, 2012. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life, disability and dental insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. For more information, including a copy of our most recent SEC reports containing our balance sheets, please visit www.LincolnFinancial.com.

Contact: Sol Kovach
Lincoln Financial Group
(336) 691-4999
sol.kovach@lfg.com

Byron Champlin
Lincoln Financial Foundation
(603) 226-5554
byron.champlin@lfg.com

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