Emmy-nominated comedy series ‘Parks and Recreation’ ended its fourth season on Thursday May 10, with an episode which revealed the long-awaited result in main character Leslie Knope’s election bid for city council.

The episode, titled “Win, Lose, or Draw”, was written and directed by series co-creator Michael Schur. The episode featured Leslie, played by Amy Poehler, waiting to hear if she had beat rival Bobby Newport, played by Paul Rudd, in an election storyline which had been running all season. The initial result showed that Bobby had won by a margin of 21 votes, however, after Leslie’s campaign manager – and love interest – Ben Wyatt, played by Adam Scott, demanded a recount, it was revealed that it was in fact Leslie who had won by 21 votes.

The result of the election had been top-secret since production wrapped on ‘Parks & Recreation’ several months ago. At a Paley Center event in March, Schur revealed that multiple endings had been filmed for the episode so that he could wait until the last moment to decide which ending to air. Poehler admitted to being a fan of both endings, telling the audience:

“It was really touching and moving to do both the acceptance and the concession speeches. Concession and acceptance speeches are about the same until the end. They thank everybody and talk a lot and say congratulations to the other guy … Having to talk to the cast, which were all my friends, and say thank you for this election year. I couldn’t do it without you, cue the waterworks factory.”

Leslie’s win in the season finale means several changes for the series in its fifth season. Until this season, the series had revolved primarily around Leslie’s duties as the Deputy Director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation, whereas now the series is expected to feature more storylines involving Leslie’s burgeoning political career.

Also undergoing some changes is Ben Wyatt, who accepted a job offer in the finale to run a congressional campaign in Washington for six months, effectively forcing Leslie and himself to attempt a long-distance relationship for at least some of next season, assuming that it does not skip entirely over those six months.

For the season, ‘Parks & Recreation’ averaged between 3-4 million viewers per week, but strong critical acclaim and consistent Emmy nominations have ensured its survival on the struggling NBC network. Earlier this month, both the series and Poehler won at The Comedy Awards for Best Comedy Series and Best Comedy Actress in TV, respectively, while the series was recently named as the recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award.

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Emmy Award-winning TV, film and stage actor and arts advocate Alec Baldwin will deliver The Americans for the Arts 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy on April 16 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The lecture is presented by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, in partnership with Ovation, the only television network dedicated to all forms of artistic expression.

“Government support of the arts has been important to me for the past two decades, and Americans for the Arts has championed the cause for more than 50 years,” said Baldwin. “I am honored to deliver this year’s Nancy Hanks Lecture on behalf of Americans for the Arts and proud to stand alongside them as we work to underscore the positive economic and social impact the arts and arts education have on our country and our citizens.”

The Nancy Hanks Lecture is part of the annual Arts Advocacy Day events in Washington, D.C. on April 16and 17. Ovation CEO Charles Segars has been named Honorary Co-Chair of Arts Advocacy Day for the second consecutive year.

“The rapidly evolving global economy demands a dynamic and creative workforce. The arts and arts education help build the skill set to deliver such a workforce. It is imperative that we continue to support the arts and arts education both on the national and local levels and I’m honored to be working with AFTA to support that effort as co-chair of Arts Advocacy Day again this year,” said Segars.

“In these economic times, we have to make the case for the arts and be relentless about making that case. Alec Baldwin is a critical voice to deliver that message to a broad audience.” ”Alec Baldwin has been a stalwart supporter of our mission to ensure that ALL Americans have access to the arts and arts education,” said Robert L. Lynch president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.

“He understands the vital role the arts sector plays in building and sustaining our nation’s economy as well as the profound impact the arts have in creating and shaping America’s cultural identity. We are honored to have him deliver this year’s Nancy Hanks Lecture.” The Nancy Hanks Lecture is the leading national forum for arts policy, providing an opportunity for public discourse at the highest levels on the importance of arts and culture to our nation’s well-being.

The annual event is named for Nancy Hanks, former president of Americans for the Arts and chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who devoted 15 years of her professional life to bringing the arts to prominent national consciousness. Past lecturers include Robert Redford, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Wynton Marsalis,Kevin Spacey, Ken Burns, William Safire and Robert MacNeil.

Baldwin’s career has spanned more than three decades. He has appeared in more than 40 films, including “The Hunt for Red October,” “The Departed” and “Glengarry Glen Ross.” His work also includes stage and television roles, most notably his current role as Jack Donaghy on “30 Rock,” for which he has won two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and five Screen Actors Guild Awards and his record-breaking 15 times hosting “Saturday Night Live.”

As a stalwart advocate for public policy and the arts, Baldwin currently serves on Americans for the Arts’ Artist Committee. He has also provided testimony before Congress on the essential role public funds play in promoting and sustaining the arts industry. Americans for the Arts extends special thanks to Ovation for its partnership in presenting the 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

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.

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