CLARIFICATION: The artists for the December performance have not yet been confirmed. More information will be available in the future. [https://mcusercontent.com/faa925e173bf3528ea757c85d/images/14554485-6337-9628-4660-1875074483c1.jpg] CLARIFICATION: The artists for the December performance have not yet been confirmed. More information will be available soon. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 7, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: Helen Donahue hdonahue@lakewoldgardens.org<mailto:hdonahue@lakewoldgardens.org> Lakewood, WA— Lakewold Gardens has been approved for a $15,000 Grants for Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support their Music From Home<https://lakewoldgardens.org/musicfromhome/> program. This award will support Lakewold’s premiere of composer Shawn Okpebholo’s<http://www.shawnokpebholo.com/> Unknown, written for the 100-year anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. "Okpebholo is making a special arrangement for voice and piano from the original chamber instrumentation especially for this concert,” says Ricardo de la Torre, Lakewold's Curator of Art & Music. “This second version of the piece will be performed by internationally renowned mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges<https://jnaibridgesmezzo.com/> and pianist Joseph Williams<https://www.pugetsound.edu/joseph-williams> in December 2023. It is expected to preserve the essence of the original composition while making it more intimate and appropriate for a venue like Lakewold’s Wagner House." Lakewold Gardens’ project is among 1,130 projects across the country, totaling more than $31 million, that were selected during this second round of Grants for Arts Projects fiscal year 2023 funding. “The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to support a wide range of projects, including Lakewold Gardens’ Music From Home program, demonstrating the many ways the arts enrich our lives and contribute to healthy and thriving communities,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “These organizations play an important role in advancing the creative vitality of our nation and helping to ensure that all people can benefit from arts, culture, and design.” For more information on other projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news<https://www.arts.gov/about/news>. ABOUT LAKEWOLD GARDENS: Lakewold Gardens is a botanical garden based in Lakewood, WA on the traditional lands of the Steilacoom tribe and Gravelly Lake, named Cook-al-chy by the land’s original stewards. Lakewold Gardens is a natural space where anyone can come and explore its natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere frequently hosting annual festivals, recurring community activities, fine arts programming, and educational opportunities for youth about climate change and ecological science. lakewoldgardens.org<https://lakewoldgardens.org/> [Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/lakewoldgardens> [Instagram]<https://www.instagram.com/lakewoldgardens/> [Website]<https://lakewoldgardens.org/> Copyright © 2023 Lakewold Gardens, All rights reserved. Media list Current hours: Wed-Sun 11am-5pm Our mailing address is: Lakewold Gardens PO Box 39780 Lakewood, WA 98496-3780 Add us to your address book<https://lakewoldgardens.us1.list-manage.com/vcard?u=faa925e173bf3528ea757c85d&id=e7cdd34a0b> Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences<https://lakewoldgardens.us1.list-manage.com/profile?u=faa925e173bf3528ea757c85d&id=e7cdd34a0b&e=__test_email__&c=a31c1561ee> or unsubscribe from this list<https://lakewoldgardens.us1.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=faa925e173bf3528ea757c85d&id=e7cdd34a0b&e=__test_email__&c=a31c1561ee>.