Dax Foundation Launches New Performing Arts Charitable Trust to Benefit Exceptional Arts & Theater Companies

"PACT" Grants to Provide Financial, Business & Operational Assistance to Help
Talented Arts Groups Grow & Thrive
LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
The Dax Foundation - a Los Angeles-based private, non-profit philanthropic
foundation dedicated to helping people and animals around the world - announced
today that it is significantly increasing its support for the arts by
establishing its new Performing Arts Charitable Trust (PACT) and has awarded its
first grants to four outstanding Los Angeles-based theater groups: Shakespeare
Santa Monica, Veterans Center for the Performing Arts, Not Man Apart Physical
Theatre Ensemble and Independent Shakespeare Company.

PACT grants are unrestricted financial awards designed to help growing arts
groups enhance their performance capabilities, increase awareness of their
theatrical projects and better connect with their local communities. Key goals
of the Trust include:

* Identifying exceptional performance arts groups & providing them with the
funding, support & resources needed to build sustainable organizations that can
grow, flourish & thrive over the long term.
* Enriching the lives of arts lovers of all ages through innovative, memorable
performances of moving works from Shakespeare & other great playwrights &
composers.
* Forging a tighter bond between arts groups & their local communities that
fosters increased local support of the arts & continued enjoyment for residents,
families & visitors for many years to come.

"At a time when funding for the arts from both public and private sources is
declining precipitously, we felt compelled to increase our long-standing
commitment to the arts in Los Angeles," said Dave Weisman, the Dax Foundation`s
Executive Director. "After privately supporting and watching dedicated
theatrical companies face significant challenges in bringing vital cultural arts
to their communities, we decided to expand our support for these groups."

Weisman noted that PACT will not just provide one-time grants to "talented
groups with an extraordinary passion to perform," but will nurture them &
continue to provide assistance over the long run. "Beyond just financial
support, the Foundation offers them a supportive environment to expand their
thinking and take bold steps to deliver powerful performances the entire
community can enjoy," Weisman added.

The Dax Foundation is also announcing that award-winning Shakespeare Santa
Monica and Not Man Apart director John Farmanesh-Bocca will serve as PACT`s
Program Director. "I`m thrilled to be working with the Dax Foundation to
identify and support outstanding arts groups to help them realize their full
potential," Farmanesh-Bocca said. "There are many talented performance groups
that could benefit from additional help to bring brilliant arts entertainment to
their communities."

In 2008, Shakespeare Santa Monica produced one of the most innovative and
engaging productions of Shakespeare`s famous Pericles in years. With the help of
a $50,000 performance grant from the Dax Foundation, Shakespeare Santa Monica
will be performing several benefit performances of their acclaimed
interpretation, Pericles Reduxthis summer at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los
Angeles to benefit Shakespeare Santa Monica`s ambitious 2009/2010 season.
Tickets for these upcoming benefit performances and will be available in the
coming weeks via the Center Theatre Group (www.CenterTheatreGroup.org).

Dax Foundation officials say the other grant recipients are equally impressive.

"The mission of the Veterans Center for the Performing Arts is to celebrate
military veterans by developing & producing their original works, providing
world-class theatrical training and enabling positive artistic expression by
delivering thought provoking works from a veteran`s perspective," said Stephan
Wolfert, Founding Director of the Los Angeles-based organization.

"We`re pleased that the Dax Foundation shares our commitment to veterans and
their families," he said. "The Foundation`s generous support will help us
continue to provide great theater, such as our well received current production
of Richard III to our friends, neighbors and communities."

David Melville, Managing Director of the Independent Shakespeare Company added,
"This year is our 10th anniversary, and we have much to celebrate. Our
summertime Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park program continues to grow and we
anticipate performing for more then 12,000 people in 2009. The sponsorship and
support of the Dax Foundation is critical to our continued success and will
enable us to enhance our performance capabilities and make this our most
artistically successful season to date."

About The Dax Foundation

The Dax Foundation is a private, California-based non-profit, philanthropic
organization that implements and supports innovative programs that help people
around the world identify, pursue and realize their dreams. The Foundation
provides resources, support and raises awareness for individuals and groups
whose vision includes making the world a better place for people and animals.
Current Foundation projects include the Mayfair Foundation, a recreation and
educational facility for severely disabled children; Over A Barrel, a rescue and
treatment facility for abused and neglected animals; Organs `R` Us, a program
dedicated to raising awareness about the critical need for life-saving organ
donation; Maui Cat, a humane program to reduce the pain and suffering of rampant
feral cat populations; and other deserving programs around the world. For more
information, please visit www.daxfoundation.org.

About Veterans Center for the Performing Arts

The Veterans Center for the Performing Arts provides a unique artistic forum for
exploring classical theatre and original works from the perspective and
experience of the military veteran. Using a wide variety of performance media,
the VCPA strives to build a creative bond between the military and civilian
communities by allowing veterans to express their "voices" without pity,
apology, or political agenda. The organization`s goal is to promote
understanding and empathy for the unique stresses faced by those that have faced
combat, and to provide a positive and supportive environment for creative
self-expression. For more information, please visit www.govcpa.com.

About Shakespeare Santa Monica

In 2009, Shakespeare Santa Monica goes into its sixth season, offering top-notch
Shakespeare in Santa Monica`s Reed Memorial Park with the aim to have Santa
Monica join the other great cities in the world that provide free Shakespeare to
its residents, surrounding communities and visitors. SSM believes that
Shakespeare is most successful when it becomes a part of the fabric of a
community. Comprised of passionate and dedicated university arts educators and
working artists, SSM`s all-volunteer troupe is dedicated to life-long education
and training in the arts. For more information, please visit
www.ShakespeareSantaMonica.com.

About Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble

The Mission of Not Man Apart is to mount productions using new emerging theatre
arts techniques joined with the experimental and dance theater techniques of
past decades to create exhilarating theatrical events that are at the same time
life affirming and consciousness expanding. NMA is based at the Artistic
Sanctuary of the Americas on the Monterey Peninsula but performs nationally and
internationally. The directors of Not Man Apart also contribute to Shakespeare
Santa Monica. For more information, please visit www.NotManApart.com.

About Independent Shakespeare Company

ISC believes that the great works of theater belong to everyone, transcending
cultural and economic boundaries. ISC serves the community through creating
professional productions of classical plays that are available to all. Each
summer, through the Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park program (currently in its
6th year), it offers thousands of people access to the great works of theater.
ISC is also committed to honoring its artists: the summer repertory company
members are employed under Actors` Equity Association contracts which include a
salary with health and pension benefits (one of only a handful of such
opportunities in Los Angeles.) Through accessible, entertaining productions that
rely on skillful speaking and dynamic staging, ISC strives to expand current
audiences and develop the next generation of theater-goers. For more information
on the 2009 season of The Tempest & Henry V, visit
www.IndependentShakespeare.com.

"O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention"
Henry V, Act 1, Prologue

Dax Foundation
Bruce Smith, 310-795-1058
bsmith@daxfoundation.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009