Arts Learning Grant
Arts Learning Grant
Lyric Center Youth Arts Program
Tara Makinen: former-Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Tammy Mattonen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, visual artist, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Ron Piercy: jeweler, gallery owner; Emily Swanson: arts administrator at Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community; Kris Nelson: artist, teacher; Roxann Berglund: musician; Bill Payne: Professor of Theater at the University of Minnesota-Duluth
Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, Artistic Director of the Duluth Playhouse Family Theatre; Betty Firth: writer; Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Kris Nelson: artist, teacher
ACHF Arts Education
We are looking to fill a void in the Quad City area where an after-school mixed media arts programs for grades K-12 is lacking. In building this program, we will to be able to have at least 10 students attending all open sessions and artist instructed lessons regularly by fall 2021. In the efforts of gaining popularity, we plan to develop a Youth Council for grades 7-12 to have a great amount of input in the direction of the program. Measurable outcomes will include having a record of attendance, demographics and continued growth through word of mouth. Although we are having a difficult time building this program in the thick of the COVID19 pandemic, we continue to offer options and encourage safe participation. Each session is allowed a maximum of 10 students until regulations are lightened. This helps each student have more attention from the artist instructing and the program coordinator can get to know them quickly. learning other activities that interest them. We will have track sheets of participation and continue to ask for feedback, comments and advice from area parents and students to determine what artistic projects are most interesting to them. Word of mouth and participation will be crucial for the success of this program in its first year. We have had many challenges in the first 6 months as we are starting the program in the thick of COVID19. We have our first onsite session planned again for February 5th and have been very active on our social media sites to continue involving the community in the Youth Program's growth plans. Using the online responses and location results, we can continue to schedule more sessions, getting more local artists onboard to provide onsite instruction. As the warmer season gets closer and COVID vaccinations begin, we will be able to actively record the increase in foot traffic and student engagement. Word of mouth will be our greatest advocate among the students and parents.
Our programming provided social engagement, self-esteem and emotional development, equitable opportunities and civic engagements. The theatre participants had a fantastic time while engaging in positive physical and mental activities and the visual arts classes brought joy and creative energy. We were able to provide most of the visual class students with free admission and plenty of supplies while providing scholarships to a few of the theatre participants all of which otherwise may not have joined us. Discussing the opportunity with the students brought feedback that they were so excited to have this available to them and a few participants expressed that they love to make art at home but it gets lonely so they are learning there are safe and welcoming spaces with like-minded people to join and encourage their creativity. The emotional support that comes with any art program remains priceless. Many of our participants also see that they can be athletes and artists without judgment
Other,local or private