Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to Receive $20,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

(January 16, 2020) — The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has been approved for a $20,000 Art Works grant to support the BTHVN2020 Celebration. This year-long project is part of a global tribute to legendary composer Ludwig Van Beethoven, marking the 250^th anniversary of his birth. Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. 

The Art Works funding category supports projects that focus on public engagement with, and access to, various forms of excellent art across the nation; the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence; learning in the arts at all stages of life; and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life.

 “The arts are at the heart of our communities, connecting people through shared experiences and artistic expression,” said Arts Endowment chairman Mary Anne Carter. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support projects like BTHVN2020 at the ISO.” 

Throughout the calendar year, the ISO will perform all nine Beethoven symphonies, in addition to several of the composer’s other works. Each symphony is paired with a brand-new commission written specifically for the ISO and this occasion. Composers for the commissions include Nathan Stookey, Hannah Lash, Dejan Lazic, Huw Watkins, and Katherine Balch. In addition to the commissions, an art installation by the University of Indianapolis and guest appearances by German performing arts groups solidify new community connections.

 “We are honored to be recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts,” said ISO CEO James Johnson. “BTHVN2020 allows the ISO to connect with our community in new, meaningful ways as we link a historical pillar of our industry to the next generation of musical minds.”

 Tickets for BTHVN2020 concerts are available now at IndianapolisSymphony.org. For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

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About the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra:

 Under the leadership of Music Director Krzysztof Urbanski and Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has become a leading orchestra in the nation with its commitment to artistic excellence, diverse and creative programming inside and outside its historic Hilbert Circle Theatre home, its engagement with communities throughout the state of Indiana and its ambitious approaches to music education, performance and collaboration. In the decades since its founding in 1930, the ISO has presented a range of classical, pops, family and holiday programming to hundreds of thousands of people each year; received national and international acclaim with its radio broadcasts, tours and recordings; and became the first major orchestra with a resident ensemble.

The ISO continues to engage new audiences through innovative programming including the Fifth Third Bank Lunch Break Series of casual 45-minute performances each summer, the holiday traditions of the IPL Yuletide Celebration, the Stella Artois Happy Hour at the Symphony Series, and the popular Bank of America Film Series.