Ballet Chelsea is honored to be one of five recipients to receive a CAFE Grants for the Arts, generously made possible by Chelsea Area Festivals and Events. “Though the selection process was difficult, the winning projects are reflections of CAFE’s mission. The Arts inspire, enrich and expand our lives. We need to support and encourage our local artists,” said CAFE Board Member, Gary Munce.
After Ballet Chelsea suspended in-person instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic a larger conversation about how to continue spreading the arts in the community began to take place. Part of Ballet Chelsea’s mission, in addition to building strong individuals (of all ages) through high caliber dance training, is to support the community that supports them through arts education and outreach. Arts and arts education have very tangible impacts on people’s lives. Research from the University of Western Australia indicated that two hours/week of exposure to the arts can improve one’s mental health and wellbeing. Ballet Chelsea has, for many years, brought dance to numerous communities throughout Michigan. The CAFE Grant for the Arts will facilitate Ballet Chelsea’s continued mission of providing art to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year Ballet Chelsea will be re-imagining how we deliver holiday traditions like The Nutcracker and continue our outreach program to senior living centers and local libraries. This grant will enable Ballet Chelsea to work on performance and outreach projects safely outdoors, which will be filmed and edited for release to the community.
Congratulations to the other four recipients: Matthew Ball, Kyle Burnett, Michael Harrington, and Chris Monaghan. To read more about how they intend to use their grant at chelseafestivals.com.
“Working on artistic projects during a global pandemic has led us to dig deeper, finding new and creative ways of working. Just as we never thought we would list a “barn” as a location for dance classes, we never imagined that we would be staging and filming a Nutcracker production that uses natural beauty as a backdrop for movement and music. We are grateful and excited for every opportunity to bring the joy of performance to our communities.”
Wendi DuBois, Ballet Chelsea Artistic Director