The First National Performing Arts Convention, 'Taking the Arts to the Next Stage,' June 8-13, Pittsburgh: Organizers and Hosts

The First National Performing Arts Convention, 'Taking the Arts
to the Next Stage,' June 8-13, Pittsburgh: Organizers and Hosts Reveal Plans
for Opening Performance Collage, Street Extravaganza and Reception, and
Discount Available for Southwestern PA Residents 


PITTSBURGH, May 19  /PRNewswire/ -- The first-ever National Performing Arts
Convention, June 8-13 in downtown Pittsburgh, is on target to draw 5,000
attendees from across the nation and generate $5 million for the regional
economy.  It also will be a celebration of Pittsburgh's performing arts with a
festival of performances, opening session performance collage, and a unique
street extravaganza in conjunction with the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Discounts for southwestern Pennsylvania residents to attend the events of the
Convention are available, through the generosity of Pittsburgh funders.

"This unprecedented gathering offers a historic opportunity to demonstrate the
dimension of the nonprofit performing arts sector and its value to civic life
-- in cultural, education and economic terms," said Marc Scorca, president and
CEO of OPERA America and chairman of the national planning committee. "The
convention will also underscore the richness and diversity of the arts in
America as exemplified by Pittsburgh's acclaimed arts organizations, which have
demonstrated the importance of cooperation and collaboration."

The national nonprofit performing arts community is convening in Pittsburgh for
annual conferences, performances, artists workshops, cross- disciplinary
sessions and other joint activities.

"Pittsburgh is seen nationally as a shining example where arts organizations
are cooperating with one another more than ever before to attract new
audiences, redevelop downtown performance districts and nurture young artists,"
said James E. Rohr, chairman and CEO of The PNC Financial Services Group, the
convention's lead corporate sponsor. "Convention attendees will share
experiences, learn from one another, both in their own disciplines and beyond,
and also learn from Pittsburgh's success."

Besides Scorca and Rohr, other participants in today's news conference at the
Benedum Center for the Performing Arts are: J. Kevin McMahon, president and
CEO, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and member of the Convention's local Planning
Committee and Mark Weinstein, general director, Pittsburgh Opera, and member of
the Convention's local Planning Committee.

Convention Updates & Highlights

CONVENTION OPENING EVENT: A performance collage, featuring music, text, and
projected images is being created by designer John Conklin for the opening of
the first National Performing Arts Convention.  Titled, Variations on America -
A Work in Progress, the event will be held in the brand-new landmark David L.
Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh at 4:00 pm, Wednesday, June
9.

REGIONAL DISCOUNT: Southwestern Pennsylvania residents may register for the
Convention (Wednesday June 9th Opening Event and Saturday, June 12th
Cross-Disciplinary Sessions) and will receive discounted tickets for the
Opening Event for $25 and Saturday's sessions for $50, a discount of fifty
percent for the Opening session and over seventy percent for Saturday's
sessions. Residents of the following 13 counties can contact ProArts at
412-394-3353 or visit http://www.performingartsconvention.org/ for Convention
registration and regional discount: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler,
Cambria, Clarion, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and
Westmoreland.

ONE-NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA:  Directly following the Opening Event at the Convention
Center, all convention delegates and ticket holders are invited to participate
in a special arts "Street Scene" produced by the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
"Street Scene" will include performances by UMOJA African drums, Mon Gumbo
Cajun music, and Mama Spell sings cabaret.  FLUX will provide a musical
backdrop to view storefront installations.  "Diva training" with Pittsburgh
Opera will be available, along with the chance to enjoy over 30 performers up
close and personal with the work of Attack Theatre and other local
choreographers.  Flash Dancers will recreate one of Pittsburgh's most famous
movie moments.

Also open to Convention delegates and ticket holders is the Convention's
Opening Reception, which will be held at the spectacular Benedum Center for the
Performing Arts, following the opening performance collage and co-hosted by The
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and The PNC Financial Services Group.

More information and registration for the first National Performing Arts
Convention is available on the Convention's web site
http://www.performingartsconvention.org/ and by calling ProArts at
412-394-3353.

The National Performing Arts Convention, sponsored by The PNC Financial
Services Group, Inc., represents the first-ever gathering of national arts
leaders and artists from across a spectrum of nonprofit performing arts
disciplines.  Arts administrators, artists, trustees and volunteers, and the
public, are invited to participate in the activities of the convention.  The
First National Performing Arts Convention represents the combination of
national conferences planned and hosted by four national service organizations
(American Symphony Orchestra League, Chorus America, Dance/USA, and OPERA
America) and special convenings and meetings planned and hosted by nine
additional associations (American Composers Forum, American Guild of Musical
Artists, American Music Center, Association of Performing Arts Presenters,
Chamber Music America, Meet The Composer, Music Critics Association of North
America, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and Theatre Communications
Group).

The National Performing Arts Convention, Pittsburgh 2004, Taking the Arts to
the Next Stage, is made possible through the generous support of Lead Corporate
Sponsor, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., with headquarters in
Pittsburgh and The Alcoa Foundation, Members of the Allegheny Conference on
Community Development, Altria Group, Inc., The Benedum Foundation, Buhl
Foundation, Master of Arts Management Program/Carnegie Mellon University, The
Dana Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Grable Foundation,
Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Heinz Endowments,
Ketchum, The Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation, Mellon Financial Corporation,
The R.K. Mellon Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The William
Penn Foundation, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Pittsburgh Cultural
Trust, The Pittsburgh Foundation, PPG Foundation, ProArts, Anonymous.

Generous media support is also being provided by sponsors WQED Multimedia
(Pittsburgh), WDUQ 90.5 FM Radio (Pittsburgh), and MusicalAmerica.com, the
Official Web Partner of the Convention. 

DATASOURCE: National Performing Arts Convention, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust



CONTACT: Joanne Kresic of the National Performing Arts Convention,

[phone], ext. 501, or ; or

Veronica Corpuz of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, [phone], or

 



Web site:  http://www.performingartsconvention.org/ 

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