Tuesday, January 6, 2015

MORC Receives Grant to Support Theatre Program for those with disabilities



By JERRY WOLFFE

The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center has received a $2,675 grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Anton Art Center to support the "Acting Out Your Dreams" program.

The program will provide theatre arts education to individuals with developmental disabilities served by MORC, the state’s largest nonprofit based in Clinton Township with an office in Auburn Hills, in partnership with All the World's a Stage. Following 12 weeks of instruction, program participants will stage an exhibition of their work open to the community.  The grant dollars will be matched by the Futures Foundation, maximizing the public/private collaboration.
“We've seen the value of performance art in helping individuals express themselves, gain self confidence and improve teamwork,” says Project Director Teri Donaldson.  “We are thrilled to receive this grant which will offer this unique artistic experience to the individuals with developmental disabilities that we serve.”
MORC's grant was awarded through the MCACA peer review process and was one of 494 applications to compete for fiscal year 2015 funding.  The MCACA review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals.  This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents of Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences.  The program is also supported nationally by the National Endowment for the Arts and locally by the Anton Art Center, the region 10A regranting agency.
The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center provides wide-ranging services to individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness in Southeast Michigan.

Wolffe is the writer-in-residence and advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-6350.

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