KCS Arts Support Group
Outreach & Arts Resources
Scope of the Outreach & Arts Resources Committee
Focused on determining community expectations of, enlisting community support for, and encouraging local arts interaction with, the arts at KCS. Also responsible for maintaining relationships with other local arts groups, implementing an “artist in residence” program at KCS, facilitating an arts exchange program, and helping KCS students to attend regional arts events.
Current Projects
Develop A Guest Artist/Artist In Residence Program At KCS - We will arrange for various guest artists to provide educational clinics, master classes and performances at KCS. We believe this important project will bring new ideas, stimulation and creativity to the school and community.
Develop A Strings Program At KCS - We have completed preliminary discussions with support group members, Owen Carman of Meadowmount, and Carol Linder from the new Westport strings group. This program will begin to take shape over the coming months.
Essex County World Drumming Initiative - This project, in association with the Lake Placid Center For The Arts, The Adirondack Arts In Education Partnership and The NY State Alliance For Arts Education, includes the acquisition of $2,000 worth of world drums, education for drum facilitators and world drumming performances. R.L. and Karen Stolz, along with Anne Hurd attended the initial meeting and gathered the information necessary for Bob Andrews to complete the school’s grant proposal. The drums have already arrived at KCS! Education and performances are scheduled.
Future & Ongoing Projects
Arrange For Interns/Student Teachers - We plan to make contact with area arts education programs such as SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, Meadowmount and others to arrange for interns and/or student teachers for KCS arts programs.
Determine Community Expectations For KCS Arts - This project will involve creating, distributing and compiling the results from a survey of arts expectations on the part of the local community. Knowledge gained from this survey will be used to help provide direction for our efforts.
Facilitate An Arts Exchange Program - We will explore the possibility of arranging an exchange of artists through the FES exchange program (via its affiliation with the KCS PTA) and other potential sources.
Maintain Relationships With Other Arts/Education Groups - We will work with a variety of other organizations such as the East Branch Friends Of The Arts to maintain partnerships and seek funding. We will also work closely with the KCS PTA and their network of volunteers. Barbara Strowger has begun this process.
Encourage Community Continuing Education For The Arts - We would like to see the school’s arts programs become more integrated with the community to provide arts education to a wider spectrum of recipients.
Encourage Local Arts Interaction - We hope to involve talented local artists in a mentoring program for the arts and to enlist community musicians to add their music to our bands and ensembles. This was a previously successful program which we plan to revitalize.
Seek More Performance Opportunities - This ongoing project includes locating regional performance venues and finding ways to include KCS students, in ensembles or as soloists, in their program.
Help KCS Students To Go To Places Where Arts Happen At A High Level - We will try to inform students of arts performances and workshops, and provide carpooling, supervision, and possible subsidization for these events. We will also try to facilitate student attendance at summer arts programs.
Completed Projects
Meadowmount Strings Performance - On Friday, March 16, 2007 The Meadowmount School Of Music, under the direction of Owen Carman, presented two programs for cello with piano to students at KCS. This first step in our newly forming Strings Program was met with enthusiasm. Owen Carman also attended our March meeting to help us find direction for our newly proposed strings program. This performance was arranged by Barbara Strowger in association with the East Branch Friends Of The Arts. Many thanks to them for making this possible.
KCS Arts Support Group Recruitment - This project is designed to get as many volunteers as possible to join the support group. Our goal is to inform area residents of our activities and how their volunteer efforts might assist the arts at KCS. This will be done through the creation and promotion of this web site, by placing informative posters in several locations throughout town, by advertising on KVVI Channel 6, by developing an informative flyer to be distributed at the next school concert, by including information on the support group in school/parent letters and by direct contact with as many community members as possible. We expect to repeat parts of this project from time to time to enlist new group members. This high-priority project is headed by Pam Gothner with assistance by R.L. Stolz.
Links To Local Arts Organizations
