Princess Grace Foundation

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A national program, the Princess Grace Foundation supports emerging talent in theater, dance, and film with scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. Currently, John F. Lehman Jr. is at the helm, HSH Prince Albert serves as Vice-Chairman, and Ms. Toby Boshak, who has been with the Foundation for eleven years, is the Executive Director. The organizations goals have been mainly turned towards helping children. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Activities 3 The Princess Grace Statue Award 4 The Prince Rainier III Award 5 References

[edit] History

Named in honor of Princess Grace of Monaco, Prince Rainier of Monaco established the program to continue helping emerging artists realize their career goals as Grace did during her lifetime. Prince Rainer's children continue to assist in the program in its 25th year. Notable supporters of the foundation during its inception include Gant Gaither, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, John Johnson, William Rogers, Mary Wells Lawrence, and Lynn Wyatt. Eventually the board of trustees under Robert Hausman as a not for profit public charity. In 1984, after the initial fund raising phase was complete, financial grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships were awarded to artists associated with schools or companies in the dance and theater disciplines. An arts advisory board composed of distinguished professionals in each of those fields was appointed to choose the most talented applicants as Awards recipients. President Reagen and his wife oversaw the first grants in Washington; a tradition now continued annually in the Awards Gala in New York City. It has donated 25 million dollars to 450 theater, dance, and film artists nationwide and now includes grants to playwriting and choreography. ^[2]

[edit] Activities

The organization has various activities designed to help aspiring young artists. The three main are: The Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance, where gifted young dancers receive a high caliber of training while not interrupting their education, The Princess Grace Irish Library, established as a memorial and whose literary influence has subsequently become international, and Boutiques du Rocher, where local craftsmen sell traditional handiwork. Other activities include: an active part in the modernization of hospitals in Europe and in the Third World, various philanthropic activities throughout the world, and other cultural activities. It gives a gift of 50,000 franks to an artist under forty, donates to dancers at the Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance, and helps fund "Première Rampe", a festival for children.

[edit] The Princess Grace Statue Award

Recipients who have displayed consistent excellence in dance, theater, or film may receive this reward. They receive a cash prize along with a bronze statuette created by the Monegasque artist, Kees Verkade. Forty five artists have received this award to date.

[edit] The Prince Rainier III Award

In 2005, the board of trustees inaugurated the Prince Rainier III Award.

[edit] References