Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

A29
PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 23 July 2018

‘Hamilton’ creator announces arts fund for Puerto Rico

By DANICA COTO artistic groups across Puerto
Associated Press Rico have been greatly af-
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico fected, losing government
(AP) — Lin-Manuel Miran- and nonprofit support amid
da jumped up to a podi- an 11-year-old recession.
um shortly after landing in The first five recipients of
Puerto Rico on Sunday to the fund include a dance
announce he has helped school and a theater
create a multimillion-dollar company.“This will allow us
fund to boost the arts in the to start dreaming again, to
U.S. territory as it struggles come up with new ideas,
to recover from Hurricane to visit more cities. This will
Maria. allow us to breathe,” Julio
The “Hamilton” playwright Morales, artistic co-director
said he hopes the fund will of the local theater com-
grow to $15 million in up- pany, Y No Habia Luz, told
coming years. He added The Associated Press.
that he will donate all funds The seven-member com-
from the Broadway hit pany will receive $180,000.
when it is performed Janu- It had struggled to find
ary in Puerto Rico. funds and was forced to
“The goal wasn’t just artistic cancel all events for sev-
satisfaction, but how can eral months after the hur-
we leave Puerto Rico a lit- ricane. Hamilton playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda gives a press conference at the Art Museum of Puerto
tle better than we found it,” The nonprofit Flamboyan Rico, as his father Luis Miranda looks on, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, July 22, 2018.
said Miranda, whose par- Foundation will manage Associated Press
ents are from the island. the fund, which will award award of $900,000 will go to was Hamilton producer Jef- excited about the show’s
Hurricane Maria caused $1 million each to the The- an art education program frey Seller. upcoming run in Puerto
damage estimated at more ater of the University of and a dance school. “Arts will be at the center Rico. “The point it to lift ev-
than $100 billion when it hit Puerto Rico and the Puer- Among those visiting Puerto of the rebuilding effort,” erybody up for those three
in September. Cultural and to Rico Museum of Art. An Rico for the announcement he said, noting that he is weeks.”q