Des Moines Metro Opera Receives $20,000 Grant From the National Endowment for the Arts for OPERA Iowa Initiative

INDIANOLA, IA – Des Moines Metro Opera was named one of three Iowa recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works grants this cycle. These grants are designed to support “artistically excellent projects that celebrate creativity and cultural heritage, invite mutual respect for differing beliefs and values and enrich humanity.” 

The NEA grant supports DMMO’s OPERA Iowa initiative, which is a 12-week music education tour that brings opera and live performance into schools and communities across the region. Now in its 35^th year, the OPERA Iowa program is comprised of 8 professional artists who present curriculum-based classroom workshops, masterclasses, aria recitals and fully staged operatic performances to over 25,000 students each year. Des Moines Metro Opera was awarded a $20,000 grant.

More information about the National Endowment for the Arts and the organization’s Art Works grants can be found here.

About Des Moines Metro Opera

Des Moines Metro Opera is a nationally recognized, progressive opera company committed to excellence, diversity and vitality in the performing arts. Founded in 1973, DMMO is one of the state’s largest performing arts organizations, annually producing over 100 performances around the state every season. Last year, 97,000 people experienced DMMO programming via its mainstage performances, 2^nd Stages Series collaborations, educational programming initiatives and statewide television and radio broadcasts. DMMO’s 2021 Season includes Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, Rameau’s Platée, Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, Spears/Pierce’s Fellow Travelers and The John Holiday Experience. For more information, visit DesMoinesMetroOpera.org or call 515-961-6221.