LEPAA RECEIVES GRANT FROM TEXAS WOMEN FOR THE ARTS TO EXPAND ARTS ACCESS

Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA) is pleased to be the recipient of a grant from ​Texas Women for the Arts (TWA)​, a program of the Texas Cultural Trust. The $2,000 grant funds were used to create self-love journals that were given to every student who attended performances of the Broadway hit, Dear Evan Hansen.

Lubbock was recently listed as number two in Texas for youth suicide attempts. During the performances in which students attended from local and regional schools, representatives from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center were on hand to distribute mental health and suicide prevention resources alongside the self-love journals.

“With Dear Evan Hansen’s plot centering around the suicide of a classmate, we felt it imperative for LEPAA to surround the performance with educational and mental health resources,” said Michelle Stephens of LEPAA. “American Theater Guild, our Broadway show provider, and the cast of Dear Evan Hansen were so thrilled at the support surrounding the show.” 

Staging the Future is a program of the American Theater Guild, LEPAA’s non-profit partner that brings Broadway performances to the Buddy Holly Hall. A portion of each season ticket pass goes to fund the program. The remaining is funded through grants and donations to LEPAA.

“We are so grateful to partner with the Texas Women for the Arts on this important educational opportunity,” said Stephens. “Each year we send students to an age-appropriate Broadway performance through the Staging the Future program. More than 600 students were sent free of charge to see Dear Evan Hansen and 1,500 journals were distributed that week.”

Founded in 2013, Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that owns and operates The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences.

The mission of LEPAA is to build community through extraordinary experiences, creative collaboration, and inclusive access to the arts, entertainment, and education. LEPAA envisions a community where every person experiences the transformative power of the arts.

The Buddy Holly Hall, which opened in 2021, is a state-of-the-art performing arts center located in the downtown area of the Cultural Arts District of Lubbock, TX. The Buddy Holly Hall boasts two world-class performing arts theaters: The Helen DeVitt Jones Theater, a 2290-seat theater designated with an exceptional acoustic rating of NC 15, and an intimate 425-seat Crickets Theater. The facility is home to partner and resident organizations including Ballet Lubbock, Lubbock Independent School District Fine Arts, and the Lubbock Symphony. In addition to the world-class performance spaces, the venue also offers multiple special event spaces as well as Rave-On, a full-service restaurant and bar, and complete event and banquet services designed to meet the needs of any special event. More information about LEPAA and Buddy Holly Hall can be found at lepaa.org and buddyhollyhall.com.

TWA is a statewide giving circle and membership program whose mission is to awaken and nurture the artist in every Texas child. Established in 2005, this philanthropic force of influential women from across the state has awarded 362 grants, totaling more than $4 million, and impacting more than three million Texas children.

TWA Grants are awarded on an annual basis and selected following a rigorous review process. To join Texas Women for the Arts, or to learn more about the program and the Texas Cultural Trust, visit TXCulturalTrust.org.

About the Texas Cultural Trust 

The Texas Cultural Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the organization include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Arts Access, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, and Partners in the Arts. Efforts are amplified by supporters who are instrumental in the success of leading a cohesive voice for the arts in education, advocacy and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of the state. For more information, visit txculturaltrust.org.

About Texas Women for the Arts

Texas Women for the Arts (TWA) is a statewide giving circle and membership program with more than 200 members from across Texas. Since its inception in 2005, this philanthropic force and champion for the arts in education has awarded 362 grants totaling over $4 million to arts organizations, impacting the lives of more than three million Texas children. For more information, or to join, visit https://txculturaltrust.org/twa/.