MARIPOSA – The California Arts Council announced its plans to award $14,400 to the Mariposa County Arts Council as part of its Artists in Schools – Extension program.
As an offshoot of California Arts Council’s signature arts education grant program — one of the agency’s longest running — the new Artists in Schools – Extension program supports arts education programs for pre-K through 12th grade students, that operate after school and during the summer, on school sites, in artistic venues, and in community settings.
The intention of this program is to offer young people sequential, hands-on training in artistic disciplines, including dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts that align to National Core Arts, California Visual and Performing Arts, Common Core, and/or Expanded Learning Standards of education.
With support from the California Arts Council, the Mariposa County Arts Council will partner with the County of Mariposa’s Department of Parks and Recreation to expand our current 3-week Summer Art Camp program into a Summer Art Academy. This program will offer deep, hands-on arts programming, provided by the region’s best visual and performing arts instructors, to Mariposa’s youth who have extremely limited or no exposure to the arts.
Bryan Starchman, Mariposa County High School’s English and Drama teacher, led a two-week extensive improv and theater workshop, focused on stagework, puppeteering, and improv basics. His workshop is followed by local artist and seasoned teaching artist, Moira Donohoe, who will instruct a two-week painting workshop for participating Summer Camp youth.
Musician Adam Burns of Bootstrap Circus will finish the Summer Art Academy with a two-week music workshop, introducing students to music theory, instrument playing, and collaborative composing.
The Mariposa Arts Council is one of 136 grantees chosen for this highly competitive program, which received applications from 168 organizations statewide. The news of the Arts Council’s grant was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council, which can be viewed online at http://arts.ca.gov/news/pressreleases.php.
“We know the benefits of arts education—to improve test performance, reduce dropout rates and increase participation in higher learning,” said Donn K. Harris, California Arts Council Chair.
“The 3-week summer camp through Artists in Schools – Extension allows students real-life arts immersion beyond the standard school day. Opportunities like this help support the growth and success of California’s students by fostering creativity, innovation, and collaboration through the arts.”
To view a complete listing of all Artists in Schools – Extension grantees, visit http://arts.ca.gov/programs/files/CAC_AIS_Extension_Grantees_2016-17_FINAL.pdf.
The MARIPOSA COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL, INC. is an incorporated not-for-profit organization, created to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County.
