NEA Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Isa S. Chu, Marketing Manager, media@oigc.org, (510) 510-587-9409
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir to Receive $20,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
Oakland, CA—The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC) has been approved for a $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support The Kelly Gospel Music Apprenticeship Program. This project will develop the next generation of musical leaders in Black Gospel and Spiritual music traditions to produce artists who can carry forward the musical excellence and unique qualities and character of the late, great Ed Kelly – noted jazz pianist and musician; and Faye Kelly, singer, choral directress and music educator as embodied through their son, Terrance Kelly, Founding Artistic Director of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. OIGC’s project is among 1,130 projects across the country, totaling more than $31 million, that were selected during this second round of Grants for Arts Projects fiscal year 2023 funding.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to support a wide range of projects, including the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir’s Ed Kelly Apprenticeship Program, demonstrating the many ways the arts enrich our lives and contribute to healthy and thriving communities,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “These organizations play an important role in advancing the creative vitality of our nation and helping to ensure that all people can benefit from arts, culture, and design.”
The program provides opportunities for a selected number of participants each year to discover and fine-tune their conducting skills in the Black gospel genre. Each participant will work closely with Terrance Kelly in Black gospel choir conducting practices and additional activities tailored to the interest and skills of each apprentice such as song selection, choir and band communication, and cultural competency.
“We had a successful inaugural year of the apprenticeship,” said Kelly. ”It’s a joy to watch directors come into new knowledge and incorporate it into their own personal style. We’re grateful to the NEA for supporting Black arts.”
For more information on the Kelly Gospel Music Apprenticeship Program, visit oigc.org/apprenticeship.
For more information on other projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
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About the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir
The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, founded in 1986 by Terrance Kelly, unites over 300 singers across multiple choirs from diverse faiths, races, and cultures. The namesake award-winning choir performs 25-30 times annually, including notable events such as jazz festival tours and inauguration ceremonies. Additional choirs include the Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir, the Oakland Interfaith Community Choir, the Oakland Interfaith Kids Choir, and the virtual Oakland Interfaith World Choir. In 2022, OIGC acquired the Oakland Youth Chorus, further expanding its youth program and outreach. With their mission to inspire unity and joy among all people through black gospel and spiritual music traditions, the OIGC continues to touch the hearts of audiences around the world.
For more information on OIGC, visit oigc.org
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