It's a natural fit, and it's surprising that it didn't happen sooner. Thanks to a generous gift, some performances at UNC School of the Arts are going to be broadcast on UNC-TV. This effort showcases this strong school and The City of Arts and Innovation — and will bring in more business.
UNCSA has received a $500,000 grant from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation in Raleigh to go toward the filming of school performances, which will then be broadcast in high-definition on the state's public TV channel over the next five years. That means that we'll able to enjoy the school's recent performance of "Oklahoma!" on our TV screens next year.
"UNC-TV has a rich tradition of bringing performance and cultural programming to a statewide audience, so this joint effort is a perfect fit for us," Tom Howe, UNC-TV's director and general manager, told the Journal's Ken Keuffel.
Katharine Laidlaw, UNCSA's executive producer, will work with UNCSA deans from the schools of dance, drama and music on production ideas, which they will then take to UNC-TV to discuss which would best fit the station's programming and schedule.
This new gift will provide much-needed exposure for the arts school and its talented students. Especially in this time of government cutbacks on education, it's encouraging to see a private organization step up in support of the arts, which enrich all of us.
It's not the first time the Fletcher Foundation has offered support to UNCSA. In 2001, the foundation gave the school a $10 million matching gift to start an opera institute on campus. UNCSA's 2010 production of "The Nutcracker" aired in December on UNC-TV with money provided by the foundation. The organization, established through the generosity of music lover Alfred Johnston Fletcher, has offered significant support to symphony orchestras, opera companies, colleges and other arts institutions.
UNCSA, bristling with activity and talent, and UNC-TV should join to produce and air more performances. About two a year, as now planned through the Fletcher grant, won't be enough.
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