Dear Ms. Smith:

I know how much the performing and cultural arts means to you. Your commitment, hard work, and sacrifice ensure that the arts will continue to enrich the lives of children of all ages and adults too. In light of this affection and commitment, please consider our request for financial support to provide 20 Irvington young people, ages 15 through 18, the opportunity to experience the magic of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on December 9, 2006 at New York City Center.

An Afternoon with Alvin Ailey is the first collaboration between two community service organizations: Art 4 Kidz and Alliance Arts & Community. As you might expect, the primary purpose of our program is to introduce the performing arts to a group of urban youngsters who might not otherwise have the opportunity. In fact, our An Afternoon with Alvin Ailey is the first of what we hope will be many cultural excursions to performing arts and cultural events throughout the tri-state area for Irvington youth of all ages. I am sure you can appreciate the excitement of attending a New York City theater performance and having dinner afterwards—especially during the holiday season. The cool night air coupled with brightly lit store windows are like icing on a cake after a memorable theater performance. In fact, I can remember going to see Alvin Ailey, Dance Theater of Harlem and Broadway performances such as Amadeus and The Phantom of the Opera as a youth with my family. Attending those performances years ago instilled in me an appreciation for the arts that remains today and I would like to pass on my appreciation to the children in my community.

In my family there were no cultural or economic barriers impeding my access to the arts; in fact my family encouraged it. However, many Irvington children come from single parent and no parent households that are both economically and culturally disadvantaged. Their caregivers, due to financial or other restrictions, cannot provide these children access to the arts—or worse their caregivers have little knowledge or appreciation for the arts themselves. Also, public school funding for the arts and arts education have all but evaporated. Consequently, opportunities for these children to embrace the arts on any level have all but disappeared. And adding insult to injury is the fact that New York City theater ticket prices have probably doubled over the last 10 years. Sadly, “a night out at the theater” is almost completely out of reach for most young people from my community and their families.

Our proposed An Afternoon with Alvin Ailey would, at least for one night, allow these youngsters to hurtle the social and economic barriers to the arts and deliver them from an environment that for some is filled with danger and hopelessness. On December 9 th , they will be thrust into a world of vibrant colors, agile movements, music, and boundless energy and creativity of modern dance.

The experience of seeing Alvin Ailey’s remarkable dancers performing at such a high skill level will in turn build their self confidence to excel at any endeavor of their choosing including the performing arts. Seeing Alvin Ailey no doubt will be an experience these youngsters will remember for a lifetime and plant in them an appreciation for the arts that they can pass along to their siblings, friends, others in the community and, one day, their children. I feel honored to be part of this experience. Perhaps you will too!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have about our proposal request at 973-373- 8595. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Frank Bryant, III
Alliance Art & Community