Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, on Tuesday announced $100,000 in federal stimulus funding for arts programs in Long Beach.
The Long Beach Opera and the Khmer Arts Academy will each receive $50,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Grants will be awarded through the National Endowment for the Arts.
"We know that when children are participating in the arts, they have more balance and are more likely to succeed academically," Richardson said in a prepared statement. "Therefore, it is important to help these outstanding organizations preserve jobs during these tough economic times so that they can continue to engage our youth and play a positive role in their academic and social maturity."
The organizations will use the funding to preserve jobs that have been threatened by a decline in philanthropic donations during the current economic downturn, according to a news release from Richardson.
Richardson began taking an interest in Cambodian-American affairs in 1998 when she worked as a field representative for the late Rep. Juanita Millender McDonald.
"I will never forget 10 years ago when I first saw Khmer dance which tells a story of history, discipline, grace, balance and yes art," Richardson said. "Since my arrival in Long Beach, I have always felt a sense of service to the Cambodian community since they were barely recognized and supported unlike other groups in the area.
"To start, I successfully brought the Cambodian New Year celebration back to El Dorado Park in Long Beach, started the New Year Parade on Anaheim Street and continue to support the Khmer Arts Academy's efforts to preserve several jobs and culture."
Of the opera, Richardson said, "my father was a musician, and so I understand the benefits of being surrounded by various forms of art during adolescence."
