For Immediate Release: February 22, 2005

Percussive Arts Museum Receives Grant for Kiosks

The Percussive Arts Museum recently received funding to add four multimedia kiosks to its galleries. The project is being completed by Percussive Arts Society Spring Intern Jim Gratner, who came to Lawton from Indiana, where he recently earned a music education degree at St. Joseph's College and was a percussion and drum line instructor for several high schools. Gratner's other internship duties include leading museum tours, coordinating review materials for the PAS's journal, Percussive Notes, and assisting with preparations for the society's international convention.

The Percussive Arts Museum recently received a $1,960 grant from the McCasland Foundation to create four interactive audio/video kiosks for the museum's galleries. The multimedia kiosks will benefit museum visitors by allowing them to hear and see performances of unique instruments represented in the museum's collection, thus enriching each visitor's educational experience.

The kiosks are a special project begun by Percussive Arts Society 2004 Spring Intern Brian Zeglis, who helped prepare the grant request.   PAS 2005 Spring Intern Jim Gratner will complete the remaining tasks needed to finish the project. Robert Leidy, Norman, has provided technical audio/visual assistance in support of the project.

The McCasland Foundation is an independent trust established in 1953 by T.H. McCasland Sr., founder of Mack Oil Co., in Duncan, Oklahoma. The purpose of the trust is to support higher education, cultural organizations, arts institutes, social services, and community improvement.

"These four kiosks will offer audio/video presentations of percussion instruments (like those on display) in their original cultural and historical contexts, featuring people traditionally associated with these instruments performing their own music," said Otice Sircy, museum curator.

The kiosks are expected to be installed and operational by this summer.

The Percussive Arts Museum is located at 701 N.W. Ferris Ave. on Elmer Thomas Park in Lawton. It houses rare and unusual percussion instruments and offers a hands-on area where visitors may try a variety of drums and percussion instruments. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 1-4 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Admission is $1; children 12 and under are free. Groups are welcome with advance reservations.

For more information about the Percussive Arts Museum, call 317.974.4488 or e-mail percarts@pas.org.