Press Releases
WCNY’s “Feminine Fusion” Awarded National Endowment for the Arts Grant
by
January 24, 2024
The National Endowment for the Arts announced today that it awarded WCNY’s “Feminine Fusion” a grant to support the locally produced, nationally distributed weekly radio show hosted by Central New York composer and musician Diane Jones.
Created and broadcast from WCNY’s Syracuse studios and currently enjoying its eighth season, “Feminine Fusion” highlights the role of remarkable women in classical music. An inspirational and educational program, “Feminine Fusion” aims to broaden the influence of the arts by highlighting generally underrecognized conductors, composers, and musicians.
“We are truly honored to receive the NEA’s Challenge Grant,” said Mitch Gelman, President and CEO of WCNY, Central New York’s public communications organization. “The award recognizes the commitment and passion that Diane Jones brings to her work at Classic FM and shares with listeners across the country.”
In 52 episodes each year, “Feminine Fusion” celebrates women from broad-ranging backgrounds, including Black, Latinx, and Native American artists. The show is syndicated to 23 stations in 17 states, including Austin, TX, Anchorage, AK, and San Juan, PR.
The National Endowment for the Arts’ Challenge America grant funds organizations aiming to broaden the arts’ accessibility to underserved groups and communities. Funding from the NEA will directly support essential activities for another successful year of “Feminine Fusion.” It will contribute to hands-on research, reporting, and scriptwriting for each episode, and will enable the station to expand the reach of the show and Diane Jones’ influence to a more diverse audience.
Members of the media interested in receiving additional information or setting up an interview with Diane Jones of WCNY-FM, please contact Lauren Easton at lauren.easton@wcny.org or 585-797-4314.
About WCNY:
WCNY was founded in 1965 as The Educational Television Council of Central New York. Today, it is a public communications organization that produces content across multiple platforms, including television and radio programs, dynamic web and targeted email content, the WCNY CONNECT magazine, and social media. Through its media platforms, in-person and virtual events, WCNY brings local coverage and educational services to Central New Yorkers. WCNY operates four digital, pledge-free broadcast television channels and three radio stations. Classic FM is one of the few radio stations in the world dedicated to locally programmed classical music, and Community FM features local people and local perspectives on immigration, education, veterans, health, arts, science and culture. Learn more at www.wcny.org.
###
◄ Back to News
