Experience cutting-edge theater at Annual Conference and support Cultural Communities Fund
Contact: Angela Thullen
Program Officer, Communications
312-280-5286
NEWS
For Immediate Release
February 10, 2009
CHICAGO – Attendees of the 2009 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago will have the opportunity to attend an evening of the spectacular theater the city is known for, while supporting the ALA Cultural Communities Fund (CCF). Tickets are available for a dazzling evening at Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 10.
The evening includes a cocktail reception, tickets to “500 Clown and the Elephant Deal” and a talk-back with cast and creative staff following the performance. Proceeds from the event will benefit the ALA Cultural Communities Fund, an endowment to support cultural programming in libraries. A limited number of tickets may be purchased for $100 as part of conference registration, available online at
www.ala.org/annual.
In “500 Clown and the Elephant Deal,” a rocking band, an enthusiastic Mistress of Ceremonies and a daring crew of clowns have everything they need for a night of theatre ... except a story to tell. A sudden altered identity launches the players on a collision course with spontaneous characters, dangerous stunts and a fierce runaway tale.
Recognizing the importance of libraries as community cultural centers, in 2003 the ALA Public Programs Office established the Cultural Communities Fund, an endowment to support cultural programming in all types of libraries. Funding from CCF will strengthen the ability of libraries and librarians to respond to community needs for cultural programming through the creation of professional development opportunities for programming librarians as well as the creation of national model programs and resources for libraries to develop local capacity for programs. For more information on CCF or to contribute online, visit
www.ala.org/ccf.
CCF is an initiative of the ALA Public Programs Office, which was established in 1990 to foster cultural programming as an integral part of library service in all types of libraries. The unit assists librarians across the country by providing leadership, resources, training and networking opportunities in order to provide library users of all ages with cultural opportunities. For more information about the ALA Public Programs Office, visit
www.ala.org/publicprograms.
