**Kennedy Center's Arts in Crisis initiative comes to Los Angeles**

Michael M. Kaiser to lead symposia at California African American Museum October 8, 2009 at 9:00am

Arts for LA, the Center for Cultural Innovation and the California Community Foundation are pleased to present the Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center initiative 50 State Tour at the California African American Museum on October 8, 2009 from 9:00-10:30am.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is taking part in a national tour for Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative. Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser travels to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to lead arts management symposia. At each event, hosted by a local arts organization, Kaiser will address the challenges facing non-profit performing arts organizations today through such areas as fundraising, building more effective Boards of Trustees, budgeting, and marketing.

Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative is a response to the emergency facing arts organizations throughout the United States. The program, open to non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts organizations, provides free and confidential planning assistance in areas pertinent to maintaining a vital performing arts organization during a troubled economy. The program is currently working with more than 450 organizations in 40 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Over 100 experienced arts leaders from across the country are volunteering their time to serve as mentors to organizations in need.

Tim Dang, Artistic Director of East West Players, will serve as the interviewer for the 90-minute "conversation" style symposium. Mr. Dang is a 2009 recipient of the prestigious James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award, serves as an advocate for Asian Americans in the media and is currently directing bio-musical Imelda for the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in his NYC directorial debut. Since 2002, East West Players has been a participant in the Kennedy Center's Capacity Building Initiative for Culturally Specific Organizations.

The event is free and open to the public. However, seating is limited and reservations are on a first-come first-serve basis. Reservations will open soon at www.artsforla.org.

The California African American Museum is located at: 600 State Drive Exposition Park, Los Angeles CA, 90016. Parking is available in the nearby lot for $8.00 (cash). Visit Metro.net for public transportation information. Doors open at 8:30am. The program will begin promptly at 9:00 and end at 10:30am.

Since 2001, Michael M. Kaiser and his executive staff have shaped numerous arts leaders through the Kennedy Center Institute for Arts Management. The Institute provides a wide variety of training and support for arts management, including a capacity building program for culturally specific arts organizations; a program to train board members of arts organizations throughout the United States; international capacity building programs for arts organizations in 60 nations; a capacity building program for over 280 arts organizations in New York City; and artsmanager.org, an interactive web resource for arts management professionals. The Kennedy Center also offers internship and fellowship programs, exposing arts professionals to various facets of arts management.

This event is co-presented by Arts for LA, the Center for Cultural Innovation and the California Community Foundation.

Affirming that Los Angeles is home to not only the most diverse arts community in the country but also the most collaborative, co-sponsors for this event include: Native Voices at the Autry,* East West Players,* California African American Museum, KUSC, Lula Washington Dance Theatre,* LA Stage Alliance, California Arts Advocates, Emerging Arts Leaders/LA and Santa Cecilia Orchestra.*

*Member of The Kennedy Center's Culturally Specific Arts Organization Capacity Building Initiative.

The Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative is funded by Helen Lee Henderson and Adrienne Arsht. For more information about Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative, please visit http://www.artsincrisis.org.

For more information about this event please contact Arts for LA at (213) 225-7580 or admin-at-artsforla.org.

The event is made possible in part through grants from the California Community Foundation, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Boeing Company.

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