2017-022-E Arts - Chinese School at Chapel Hill - Fall 2016 Arts Grant Agreement

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i DocuSign Envelope ID:909E237B-463D-4B50-982B-EC089340083F Arts Program Grant—Narrative Page 3 of 3 Applicant:The Chinese School at Chapel Hill LIGHTUP is serving the entire community, with very low entry barriers. The festival is estimated to r attract 5,000 attendees. Our event will be widely promoted through our supporters' marketing channels, including the Town of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill and Orange County Visitors Bureau, CHCCS schools, the Chapel Hill Public Library, Chapel Hill Park & Recreation facilities, FRANK, and the Chinese communities throughout Triangle area. University Place is conveniently located in the I', center of Chapel Hill and is easily accessible by almost all communities via public transportation. The activities are either free or have a minimal fee. Because of the ease of access to the location and the low cost to participate, this event is accessible to ALL members of the community. Since the initial meeting with the Chapel Hill and Orange County Visitors Bureau in August to secure the seed funding, the LIGHTUP organization has progressed from initial conception to have secured key partners, vendors and confirmation on programs. All of the planned activities are currently under execution, proving the feasibility and effectiveness of the event and its programs. LIGHTUP is proudly collaborating with community partners, artists, and performers including: FRANK Gallery, the Chapel Hill Public Library, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, RTP Peking Opera Club, NC-RTP Chinese Music Instrument Ensemble, Lisa Zou's Chinese Instrumental Music Studio, Red Apple Learning Campus, Confucius Institute at NC State University, Kidzu ! Children's Museum, Chapel Hill Chinese Language & Culture School, Duke University and UNC Chinese Students and Scholars Associations, Glenwood Mandarin Dual Language Program, and Chapel Hill Chamber Academy. The CSCH is highly experienced in organizing Chinese New Year and other Chinese cultural celebration as these productions are organized several times throughout each school year. These events are usually held at school sites and are always open to the public. Average attendance is between 300-400 people per event. These events are geared for all ages, families and individuals, and both male and females of all cultural backgrounds. Currently, over 100 individual volunteers have signed up to help at the event, and the number of volunteers continues to grow. We have seen many of our community members answering our call to participate in this exciting cultural and educational festival. We have been repeatedly impressed with the willingness of community partners and volunteers to join LIGHTUP, a program that will benefit both our community and schools. We are making great strides in fulfilling our mission and goals for LIGHTUP. In LIGHTUP, the lantern is a symbol for wishes and blessings, but it is also a symbol of our "self", our inner being. We will be lighting up our "self" to become part of the greater illumination of the community. It is through this collection of many individual lanterns coming together that we wish to convey the blessings, warmth, and hope for our community. It is only with the amazing support and participation from our community that this LIGHTUP community project is made possible. We respectfully ask the Orange County Arts Commission to consider our grant application favorably, to support this first-of-its-kind community art project and its vision of celebrating cultural diversity and bringing the community together through LIGHTUP and its lantern art and festive programs.