Two organizations recently announced arts initiatives for members of the military and their families. The North Carolina Symphony is embarking on a tour this week of five free concerts at the state’s military bases, the first tour of that type taken by the orchestra. Billed as the Red, White and Blue Tour, the orchestra begins with a performance on Tuesday, June 1, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro. The four other bases on the tour are Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock (June 2); Riverwalk Crossing Park in Jacksonville for troops at Camp Lejune and New River Air Station (June 3); Fort Bragg (June 4); and Summerfest in Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre (June 5). For the second initiative, National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman has announced a program called Blue Star Families in partnership with more than 600 museums across the U.S. to give free museum admission to active-duty military families this summer. “The president has sent out a directive to all of the federal agencies to find ways that we can help military families and engage with them,” said Landesman in his May 25 blog. “I’m very proud that we’re one of the early responders.”
Posted June 1, 2010
