Last Friday, on May 2, 2025, the National Endowment for the Arts cancelled scores of grants to arts organizations across the country. The Actors’ Gang was among the many organizations who suddenly lost crucial funding for community programming. The Grants for Arts Projects award to support the upcoming installment of our wildly popular Free Shakespeare-in-the-Park.
Despite the current administration’s efforts to weaken the important work being done by arts organizations across the country, The Gang remains committed to presenting Shakespeare-in-the-Park this year. There is a need to replace the $15,000 lost through the cancellation of this grant.
Tim Robbins, the Artistic Director for the Actors’ Gang, stated “We believe the arts are a crucial piece of the community fabric, one which all people should have access to regardless of their financial situation. Thousands of people attend these productions every year, most of them children. These young people are provided theatrical entertainment of the highest quality infused with lessons of kindness, empathy, and courage. These are timeless lessons that are even more important now, in the face of adversity.”
Culver City’s Media Park has hosted “Harry Potter/Hamlet,” “The Tempest; Star Wars Edition,” and “Much Ado About Pooh,” as free entertainment for families that brings the community together under the trees. The light-hearted laughter and profound insights these plays offer have brought in audiences from more than a decade.
Robbins noted “Since these performances are presented for free, we always rely on the generosity of like-minded partners. This year, we are asking you to become one of those partners. Give now and help us continue our tradition of community focused arts that is accessible to everyone.”
To donate now, go to /ci.ovationtix.com/35132/store/donations/50813?mc_cid=36f4c9038d
