Fall was a hit for Family ARTSventures!
For the Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/ Douglas County (CAC), many events were affected by Covid-19 for the 2020 Fall season. But with the help of brilliant artists and virtual strategies, the program Family ARTSventures (F.A.V.) found new ways to continue bringing culture and fun into the school curriculum. As artists visited schools last year, thousands of children benefitted from the performances; after working hard to convert the performances into online formats, the educational program has reached the same number of students this season, if not more. Children and their families have been able to enjoy these performances together conveniently in their homes. Whether in-person or digital learning, it is through virtual links that the CAC has provided the key to making it possible for all students to have the same opportunities for viewing and discussing the performances. The CAC is maintaining the impact of F.A.V. while keeping children and the community safe.
In September, Brien Engle brought his magical “glass harp” to Mirror Lake Elementary School, playing the rims of water-filled glasses and offering scientific explanations for the secrets of the songs. In October, Andy Irwin sang through hilarious middle-school stories for Chapel Hill Middle School, turning silly life reflections into comedic musical tales. In November, Damon Young paraded whimsical shadow puppetry in front of the students of North Douglas Elementary, theatrically presenting historical tales of Asian culture and artifacts.
Scheduled for our local schools this 2021 year, the CAC program F.A.V. will offer the cultural performance “Peace Pipes and Talking Leaves” by Barry Stewart Mann to Eastside Elementary School. The performance will explore the folklore and customs of the Cherokee people, with myths and ceremonies and cultural games. In February Sean Driscoll is invited to present his interactive “Diggery Dino” to Factory Shoals Elementary School. In the interactive adventure with props and puppets, a Paleontologist discovers a “top secret” box packed accidentally by the museum, and the extinct finds its way into the modern world. In March, Atlanta Shakespeare presents one of its classic dramas, “Journey’s End” to Mason Creek Middle School. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and mixed with history, a young woman journeys through the madness of the Civil War.
These community masterpieces, approved and funded by Georgia Council for the Arts, fill our local schools with culture, whimsy, and educational entertainment. The CAC continues to plan these events each month of the school year to fill the hearts and minds of children with inspiration and awareness.
The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/ Douglas County, located at 8652 Campbellton Street in historic downtown Douglasville, Georgia, is open Mondays through Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm. For directions and more information, visit www.artsdouglas.org or contact the Cultural Arts Council at 770.949.2787.
