GREENEVILLE – Tusculum University has recently earned additional support for its stellar arts program with helpful grants from the Walmart Community Foundation and the Tennessee Arts Commission.
Suzanne Greene, center, a Walmart employee and longtime Tusculum Arts Outreach volunteer, presents the check to Brian Ricker, left, and Jennifer Hollowell of Arts Outreach.
The Tennessee Arts Commission provided Tusculum Arts Outreach with $4,760 to support Tusculum’s costume shop. In addition, Walmart in Greeneville contributed $1,000 to back Theatre-at-Tusculum’s programs, such as this year’s performances of “Young Frankenstein” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
“We are grateful for our partnerships with the Tennessee Arts Commission and Walmart, which help us enhance the community’s quality of life and provide an outlet for performers and behind-the-scenes personnel,” said Brian Ricker, assistant director of Arts Outreach. “In this challenging period due to the coronavirus, the ability to entertain audiences and bring a smile to their faces is meaningful. The state and Walmart are helping us accomplish that goal.”
Ricker said the Walmart funds will help overcome some of the lost revenue from limiting audience sizes at performances as a safety measure. He said the company’s Greeneville operation has demonstrated its continuing commitment to the community’s well-being. Walmart is also reinforcing the value of Theatre-at-Tusculum to Greene County and surrounding communities.
Reviewing the Tennessee Arts Commission grant, Ricker said Tusculum will be able to continue running an exceptional costume shop under Erin Schultz’s leadership. Through her efforts, Tusculum creates dynamic costumes for its own performances and shares them with community members. The costume shop does not charge rental fees to teachers, schools and other organizations who rely on Tusculum.
“Our longtime connection with the Tennessee Arts Commission is great example of the state setting the stage for premier costume work by Tusculum, which is then able to pay it forward to the community,” said Wayne Thomas, executive director of Arts Outreach and dean of the College of Civic and Liberal Arts. “This creates an environment in which all community sectors are culturally enriched.”
For more information about Arts Outreach programming and ways to support it, please visit http://arts.tusculum.edu/ or e-mail Jennifer Hollowell, Arts Outreach coordinator, at jhollowell@tusculum.edu, or Kim Kidwell, associate vice president of institutional advancement, at kkidwell@tusculum.edu.