HIGHLAND LAKE, NY — NACL Theatre has been selected as one of 90 finalists across the United States to receive an Artplace America award. Each of the finalists has proposed opportunities for the arts to play an explicit and intentional role in a community development project that seeks to strengthen the social, physical and economic fabric of a community. A total of 1,283 letters of inquiry were received. Of the 90 finalists, 40 will be selected to receive funding. If it receives the Artplace award, NACL would use it to support a new upcoming NACL community arts project in 2016 called “Courage.”

Directed by NACL co-artistic director Tannis Kowalchuk, the company is committed to making “big theatre in small towns” and is known for its multi-disciplinary productions that combine the performance skills of the NACL professional company with residents and community members of all ages, who sing, dance, act, stilt walk and create visual art. The 2014 performance called “The Weather Project” is a case in point. The play centered around climate change and featured nearly 100 residents, a NASA scientist, and professional artists in partnership with over a dozen organizations representing many sectors of community life.