UNIVERSITY PARK — The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State was awarded $50,000 by the National Endowment for the Arts to be used for art projects. In a statement by the Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, Aug. 26, it was announced that the grant would be used for “What Does Purple Sound Like?” by Sydnie L. Mosley Dances.
According to a CPFA release, the piece “is a multi-media art installation that focuses on and makes visible our adult neighbors and communities in central Pennsylvania.”
As a part of the installation, artists from Sydnie L. Mosley Dances will perform excerpts from “Purple: A Ritual in Nine Spells.”
Performance exhibits will be held from Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, through Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. in Eisenhower Auditorium. The audience will be seated on the stage in one of three performance-exhibits.
“Projects like ‘What Does PURPLE Sound Like?’ by Sydnie L. Mosley Dances exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities — all through the arts,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, NEA chair. “So many aspects of our communities — such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure and the economy — are advanced and improved through investments in art and design. The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.”
The grant given to the Center for the Performing Arts was one of 1,134 Grants for Arts Projects awards by NEA, with awards totaling more than $37 million, as part of its second round of fiscal year 2024 grants.
“We are thrilled with our collaboration with Sydnie L Mosley Dances this year, thanks to support from the NEA multidisciplinary arts-projects grant,” said Sita Frederick, Center for the Performing Arts director. “The program’s focus on Black joy and sharing experiences across generations is well-suited to our communities and values. As we continue the celebration of our building’s 50th anniversary, I’m excited to see our stage transform with an installation and performances by Sydnie L. Mosley Dances and community members. The creativity in our community is boundless and we are here to celebrate it.”
For more information on the Center for the Performing Arts, visit cpa.psu.edu.
