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<br /> The ArtsCenter: 2014-2015 School Show Series 2
<br /> Learning percussive dance from a local dance company and one of the leading youth tap ensembles in the world,
<br /> seeing thrilling acrobatics from African culture performed on stage, or hearing songs and stories from Latin
<br /> America can bring history and culture to life for students. For some students, stepping into The ArtsCenter's
<br /> theater may be the first time they have ever been in a professional performance space. Furthermore, engaging
<br /> with history through an interactive play, for example, can enhance classroom study. Using the arts as a means of
<br /> teaching curriculum embraces different ways of teaching and learning, thereby reaching students with different
<br /> learning styles.
<br /> The ArtsCenter respectfully requests $1,500 from the Orange County Arts Commission to help subsidize the
<br /> artists' fees for the 2014-2015 School Show Series, which annually impacts thousands of youth in Orange
<br /> County. More specifically, this support would help make the following activities possible:
<br /> The School Show Series consists of high-quality, arts-based educational performances by local, regional, and
<br /> national artists. School Shows take place on weekday mornings at The ArtsCenter and enhance! classroom study
<br /> by aligning with curriculum in the Common Core and NC New Essential Standards. Most School Show
<br /> attendees come from K-8th grade, though every season contains at least one show that reaches high-school
<br /> audiences. In addition to shows on-site, The ArtsCenter also coordinates performances in area schools by some
<br /> of the season's artists. These in-school shows are made possible through a longstanding partnership with local
<br /> schools' PTA Cultural Enrichment volunteers.
<br /> In the 2014-2015 season, the School Show Series will present 20 shows at The ArtsCenter by 10 different
<br /> artists/groups. In addition, 9 performers will also conduct shows in area schools to provide approximately 65 in-
<br /> school performances. The season will feature a variety of art forms including storytelling, music, drama, and
<br /> acrobatics. Through performances, students will have the opportunity to learn about science through a comedic
<br /> juggling show, about American history and key moments in the Civil Rights movement through three plays,
<br /> about the traditional music and instruments in Chinese culture, some stories and songs from 1-2-tin America, and
<br /> will be able to enhance their experience of reading through two plays based on books (see enclosed schedule).
<br /> Through the School Show Series, we expect to reach a broad spectrum of youth from our community, similar in
<br /> scope to The ArtsCenter's usual audience (52%White, 25% African-American, 14% Latino, 7% Asian-American,
<br /> and 2% Native American).While the series may reach students in up to five nearby counties (Orange, Chatham,
<br /> Durham,Wake, and Alamance), the impact on Orange County is most significant. For example, last season
<br /> (2013-2014), 75/0 of the elementary and middle schools in Orange County (both Orange Co Schools (OCS) and
<br /> Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS)) were impacted by the School Show Series. Students from six (out
<br /> of seven) elementary schools in the OCS district participated in School Show programs. All 10 elementary
<br /> schools in the CHCCS district either had students attend a show at The ArtsCenter or hosted shows at their
<br /> school, and one middle school from OCS and all four middle schools in CHCCS had students participate in this
<br /> program. The impact of the School Show Series on our county is felt in nearly all of the schools each year,
<br /> spanning both districts.
<br /> Making these programs accessible to area students is another objective of the School Show Series. School Shows
<br /> are offered at an affordable cost ($7/ticket); scholarships are provided to students with special needs or on
<br /> free/reduced lunch, and complimentary tickets are awarded to teachers. Last season (2013-2014),for example,
<br /> 204 scholarship tickets were awarded to students. All in-school performances are free to students and are
<br /> made possible through collaboration between The ArtsCenter and the CHCCS' Cultural Enrichment
<br /> Committee, which is made up of PTA volunteers from CHCCS area schools, in addition to a few
<br /> representatives from OCS and area private schools. Through this partnership, The ArtsCenter serves as a
<br /> liaison between the performers and the schools, handling all of the negotiation, scheduling, and coordination.
<br /> This collaboration enables schools to bring in artists at a reduced rate, thereby making it possible for them to
<br /> feature artists at their school they would otherwise not be able to afford, as well as saving therr, time in the
<br /> booking process.
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