Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Funding from the N.C. Arts Council will assist the Office of Cultural Arts at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in bringing an internationally renowned flamenco dance company to perform in the Camp Lejeune Dependents School System.

The $9,000 grant will be used to facilitate and coordinate the performance by Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana at Camp Lejeune's Brewster Middle School. Approximately 700 fifth through eighth grade students will attend the April 2 performance. Performance Guides, supplied by the artists, will assist teachers in preparing their students for the cultural experience.

According to Mary Hendrickson, Instruction Systems Specialist for the Camp Lejeune school district, "the performance will expose students to a vibrant dance experience and provide an opportunity to appreciate and celebrate another culture." Hendrickson added that students in her district rarely have the opportunity to witness the high quality artistry of acclaimed ensembles such as Flamenco Vivo.

The project is part of the ARTworks program, an initiative of the UNCW Arts in Education Alliance, comprising the Office of Cultural Arts, Watson School of Education and WSE Professional Development System. Through ARTworks, the Alliance provides dynamic and effective arts integration programs to elementary schools throughout Southeastern North Carolina by sponsoring free live performances, arts integration curricula, professional development workshops and in-school residencies.

Since its inception two years ago, the UNCW Arts in Education Alliance has been a driving force in creating arts and arts integration opportunities for the region's public schools. During the current academic year alone, ARTworks performances will reach nearly 7,000 elementary students in New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Onslow counties. In addition, the initiative will reach out to hundreds of teachers through free, accredited educator workshops; in-school artist residencies; and arts integration curriculums.

The N.C. Arts Council awards grant money each year to provide diverse arts experiences for citizens in all 100 counties of North Carolina. The N.C. Arts Council is a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina's arts, history and culture

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More information about ARTworks and other outreach initiatives of the UNCW Office of Cultural Arts is available at www.uncw.edu/arts.