2022-469-E-Arts Commission-The ArtsCenter-2022-23 Arts Grants

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Artist In Residence Program Support Project Support $7,000 Summary Support from The Orange County Arts Commission will help fund the Artist in Residence Program at the Title I focus schools in The Orange County Schools. These schools have student populations above 50% on free and reduced lunches. The amount requested will help give all four schools (Grady-Brown Elementary, New Hope Elementary, Efland Cheeks Elementary, and Central Elementary) a five-day Artist in Residence for each grade level. In addition, this program will also provide residencies for all self-contained classes in Orange County Elementary Schools. In total, 27 residencies will occur throughout the school year serving approximately 1900 students. Project Dates September 2022 – May 2023 Project Goals The goal of this project is to integrate the arts to achieve the NC Public Schools common core curriculum goals by presenting the subject matter in new, imaginative ways, while providing multi-cultural perspectives and underscoring important social justice themes. Not only does the AIR program bring important and impactful arts programming to these schools, it also caters to the social emotional learning needs of their students. Many of these students are new to this country and still learning to speak English and adapting to living in the U.S. Many are grappling with the challenges of living in poverty. Others suffer from behavioral challenges and learning disabilities. Students, teachers and parents alike, are facing life challenges brought on by Covid, including loss of a loved one, sickness, depression and anxiety. Research is now showing us the tragic and disproportionate effect that the pandemic has had on underserved children. Without resources at home to adequately support their remote learning, many of these children have fallen behind. To compound this tragedy, these same children are facing illness and death in their families at a greater rate. All the while, the social unrest gripping the country has left them grappling with questions of their own self-worth. Through these residencies, children are given a safe space to explore their questions and feelings and are learning the importance of embracing their differences, learning from one another to become more empathetic. The children are empowered with a sense of belonging and an understanding that not only does everyone deserve these art opportunities but more importantly, they all deserve the resources to succeed in life. Artist in Residence, Charles Pettee, shared this moment of one of his residencies: Upon sharing with the class an incidental fact about the “Father of Bluegrass music” Mr. Bill Monroe – that his mother died when he was 10 years old – one child wished to share about the loss of their uncle. Then others followed, speaking of lost grandparents, cousins, and finally, even parents. It was extremely moving and beautiful to witness the openness and willingness to listen that all the students exhibited as their peers shared. And it afforded me an opportunity to share, too, and to affirm, (as one example), “Your mother is very fortunate, isn’t she, that she still has YOU in her life! You must be so special to her.” Arts education impacts students both in their present experience as well as their lifelong achievements. Art gives children the tools to express themselves and take risks which allows them to develop a sense of innovation. Not only do these experiences grow confidence, but they also help to foster collaboration. Art becomes an important tool for teaching social justice and exploring diverse cultures and therefore helps to unify communities. Art teaches kids how to live and work together. This type of collaboration leads to safer schools and more peaceful learning environments. Children learn to communicate their ideas but also become better listeners. By investing in this program, OCAC is investing in the future of our communities. By integrating arts into their studies, the students develop leadership skills such as strategy building, planning and decision making. With these skills, they develop a strong sense of identity and confidence in their ability to affect the world around them which will inspire them to grow into future leadership roles within their communities. DocuSign Envelope ID: A316C27B-64F3-49CE-98EE-8DD8820AABB5