2013-526 Arts - The Arts Center for 2013 Fall Art Agreement $1,500

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The ArtsCenter:2013-2014 Li Liu Series provides more than 20,000 experiences to area youth through the combination of performances at The ArtsCenter and in area schools. Annually, the majority of participants in the School Show Series are from Orange County. The Series reaches a combined population that is 52% White, 25%African- American, 14% Latino, 7% Asian-American, and 2% Native American, which more diverse that other ArtsCenter audiences. Based on current reservations, we anticipate Li Liu's Traditions of Chinese Acrobatics School Shows at The ArtsCenter to reach more than 345 people, representing four districts (Orange, CHCCS, Durham, and Chatham). The audiences for these two shows will be a mix of students (preK-6`h) from area public schools, Montessori schools, a pre-school, and some local home-school groups and will also include a high-school Exceptional Children's class and a group of senior citizens from a nearby retirement community. Having School Shows at The ArtsCenter not only expands the geographic reach of The ArtsCenter's educational programming but also enables students to make field trips to The ArtsCenter and to experience a performance. For some students, stepping into The ArtsCenter's theater may be the first time they have ever been in a professional performance space and their first time experiencing a live performance in a theater venue. To ensure accessibility of these opportunities, School Shows at The ArtsCenter are offered at an affordable cost ($7/ticket) and some scholarships are available. For the Traditions of Chinese Acrobatics School Shows, more than 30 scholarships will be awarded to under- served youth to attend these shows at The ArtsCenter. In addition to making School Shows financially accessible for schools, it is also important to emphasize the educational connections. When available from the performer, The ArtsCenter provides teachers with a study guide for the performance. These guides help prepare students for the shows and provide ideas on ways for teachers to extend the experience in the classroom before and after the performance (see the enclosed Li Liu Study Guide). We also anticipate the impact of Li Liu's visit to be multifold. One of Liu's goals is to awaken awareness of different cultures as well as creating interest and pride in students' own cultural backgrounds and engendering a sense of respect for other cultures through her performances. Additionally, we hope the cultural awareness generated through these programs will have a beneficial impact on the participants from all backgrounds, as presenting artists from different cultures opens all students' eyes to welcoming and respecting those that may be different from themselves. Furthermore, students will learn that cultures and countries are not monolithic and that a wealth of differences exists among those different cultures around the world. For more than 30 years, The ArtsCenter has served area youth and families in the community through performances and other arts-based educational experiences. This booking of Li Liu is similar in scope to many other artists' visits we coordinate multiple times each season, combining performances at The ArtsCenter and in area schools. Bringing Li Liu to the area will be a meaningful experience, as we hope it will not only resonate with under-served members of our community but it will also help to celebrate the many differences that make up our area. The ArtsCenter respectfully requests $1,500 in support from the Orange County Arts Commission to make this project possible.