Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, announced today that it is presenting its 2012 American Express Emerging Leaders Award to Adam Natale, director of partnerships and business development at Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit organization that serves a national community of artists and arts organizations.

Given annually since 2006 and sponsored in 2011and 2012 by American Express, the award honors exceptional young arts professionals who demonstrate exemplary leadership, innovative thinking and a commitment to advancing the arts in their local, state or national communities. Recipients of the Award are selected by a panel of outside experts. Adam will receive the American Express Emerging Leaders Award during the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention in San Antonio.

During his tenure at Fractured Atlas, Adam has created innovative audience development, online education and arts insurance programs; formed partnerships with more than 100 arts organizations; presented at multiple national conferences; and has helped the organization grow immensely—more than 5,000 artists joined in the past year. A graduate of American University with a degree in Directing for Theatre & Film, he is a freelance director, serves on the Board of Directors for Red Bull Theater and is a past member and chair of Americans for the Arts' Emerging Leader Council. Formerly, he served the theater and musical theater disciplines at the National Endowment for the Arts and worked as an associate producer with the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

"Adam’s extraordinary work with Fractured Atlas epitomizes the qualities needed to lead and advance the arts," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "His extraordinary work and passion to support the artists and arts leaders of tomorrow exemplifies what it means to be an Emerging Leader."

"I join Robert L. Lynch and the board and staff of Americans for the Arts in congratulating Adam Natale on his receipt of this award," said Timothy J. McClimon, President of the American Express Foundation. "The American Express Emerging Leaders Award represents the best and brightest of our future leaders in the arts. We applaud the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence that Adam brings to his work and salute him for helping to create a more vibrant national community for artists, audiences and young people."

Through its Emerging Leaders Network, Americans for the Arts works to identify and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the arts and arts education. Founded in 1999, the Network and its programs offer a rich range of professional development, peer-to-peer networking and technical assistance services designed to meet the unique needs of arts management professionals who have less than 10 years experience in the field. Currently, the Network has more than 4,450 members in 49 out of the 50 states in the country, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

American Express: Developing New Leaders for Tomorrow
One of American Express' three platforms for its philanthropy is Developing New Leaders for Tomorrow. Under this giving initiative, which recognizes the significance of strong leadership in the nonprofit sector, American Express is making grants focused on preparing high potential emerging leaders to tackle important issues in the 21st century.

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