Suburban city of Evanston gets $50,000 NEA grant

EVANSTON — The city of Evanston is getting a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts which city officials say they hope to use to develop a plan for creating a performing arts center.

The suburban Chicago city says the $50,000 it got is one of 51 grants awarded nationwide.

The city says a study was commissioned to look at the possibility of converting the Varsity Theater, a former downtown Evanston movie house, for the performing arts center. The city says the theater is now infrequently used.

The city and community groups want to keep performing arts groups from moving out of Evanston.

Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl says in a statement that a new performing arts center would continue the transformation of the city's downtown.

Evanston is home to Northwestern University.