DAISY WILSON ARTIST COMMUNITY INC DBA AUGUST WILSON HOUSE

DWAC EXISTS TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER KEY AUDIENCES, YOUTH, ARTISTS, FAMILIES, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY THROUGH VIBRANT PROGRAMMING THAT IS FOCUSED ON ARTS EDUCATION, LITERARY ARTS, AND AFRO CENTERED ACTIVISM. THIS PROGRAMMING FOSTERS AND PROMOTES A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR AND UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE AND THE PERFORMING ARTS BY EXPLORING THE CULTURAL NARRATIVE OF AUGUST WILSON'S WRITINGS AND INSPIRING CREATIVITY AND CONFIDENCE AMONG PLAYWRIGHTS, ACTORS AND OTHER ARTISTS THROUGH A NUMBER OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS BY ENGAGING IN AND SUPPORTING OTHER CHARITABLE, ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES THAT ENRICH THE HILL DISTRICT AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. DWAC'S PROGRAM PORTFOLIO CONSISTS OF ORAL HISTORIES, PERFORMANCES, EVENTS, GALLERY SHOWS, ARTMAKING, ARTIST TALKS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS INCLUDING HOUSE TOURS AND OTHER SHARED UPLIFTING EXPERIENCES.MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS BOTH LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY COME TO THE ARTS CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. DWAC THROUGH ITS TEACHING ARTISTS ALSO FACILITATES AN IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM CALLED AUGUST IN THE SCHOOLS WHICH TARGETS MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND IS DESIGNED TO BRING AUGUST WILSON'S WORK INTO LOCAL SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING LITERARY AND PERFORMANCE ARTS CURRICULUM AND FOSTER A MULTI-GENERATIONAL DIALOGUE THAT UNDERSCORES THE POWER OF A SHARED COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE. DWAC HOSTS A PLAYWRIGHT RESIDENCY WHICH SUPPORTS A BLACK PLAYWRIGHT WHO HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO PLAYWRITING BUT HAS YET TO REALIZE BROAD PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION. THE PROGRAM GOAL WAS TO CREATE A FLUID, NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WITH AMPLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR ARTISTIC SELF-DEVELOPMENT.DWAC HAS ALSO SUPPORTED MORE LOCAL PITTSBURGH ARTISTS THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED "ART FOR AUGUST," WHERE IT ENGAGED TEN (10) ARTISTS TO COMMISSION ART PIECES INSPIRED BY AUGUST WILSON WHICH WERE UNVEILED AND PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY. THE EXHIBITION WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT BECAME A TRAVELING EXHIBIT AND RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SOME NEW, DISPLAYING THE ARTWORK ON DISPLAY IN THEIR SPACES. ALSO, THROUGH AN EMPHASIS ON ARTIST DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN PARTNERSHIPS, DWAC HAS LAUNCHED INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE AUGUST WILSON HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AND ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMS WITH BOTH DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. EACH YEAR, OVER A SIX-MONTH PERIOD, FOUR WRITING WORKSHOPS (POETRY, CREATIVE NON-FICTION, PLAYWRITING AND WRITING OUR NARRATIVES) ARE OFFERED AS WELL.