The National Endowment for the Arts today announced that the Milwaukee Ballet has received a $100,000 grant for its Harmony Initiative, to be built on the site of the current Marcus Center for the Performing Arts parking structure.

The Ballet was the only Wisconsin group among the 80 recipients. The winners were selected from more than 300 applications.

The grants are part of the NEA's Our Town awards. According to the NEA, Our Town grants support "creative placemaking projects that help transform communities into lively, beautiful, and sustainable places with the arts at their core."

The NEA's web site celebrates the Ballet's Harmony Initiative, saying, "Milwaukee Ballet is teaming with the City of Milwaukee to create schematic designs for the Harmony Initiative, a new cultural facility in the Downtown Center District. The facility will integrate programming and generate shared revenue for three organizations: Milwaukee Ballet, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts, and Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Medicine.

"Renowned Milwaukee-based architects La Dallman have been commissioned to design the catalytic performing arts, higher education, and health and wellness space. Milwaukee Ballet, the university, and medical college jointly serve more than 85,000 people."