Thursday, November 16, 2017

SEARK Bradley County Arts for Children ( BCAC )

The SEARK Bradley County Arts for Children ( BCAC ) Committee has begun plans for Bradley County Children's Art, 2017-2018 with a "Mardi Gras Gala."  The committee has begun plans to bring art emphasis events to our county children in grades K-12th.  BCAC is a brand new committee  formed in Bradley County which sole purpose is to sponsor and fund art emphasis events for K-12th grade children in Bradley County.  This committee is part of the state-wide emphasis on SMART Schools Programs by the Arkansas Department of Education to increase art appreciation.  There are 7 Arkansas counties covered by our SEARK Concert push---Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew and Lincoln.  The first Bradley County event is one to build its budget to service all the children K-12th grades in Bradley County with free art programs which benefit them academically, provide opportunities for performance and sharing artistic experiences.

The first BCAC committee event is to host an adult, invitational "Mardi Gras Gala" Saturday, February 3, 2018 to begin at 6:00 P.M.  The event will be held at the Warren Country Club, with entertainment by the "new" Louis Armstrong.  It will consist of a seated dinner, silent and live auction with dancing to follow with a live band.  Travis Caudell's "Aces wild Band will perform.  Proceeds will go to fund future art programs given in Bradley County.  Through a grant and a gracious donor, the following projects for this years's 2017-2018 events have been slated for Bradley County students in K-12.  They include Happy Dog Duo, Janet Hartness & Josh Gallager, South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Aladdin, Jr.  The 2016-2017 student programs included for Bradley county schools are as follows: for K-1st, puppet show "Aladdin"; for 2nd grade-AR Festival Ballet; for 2nd grade also, Ballet Arkansas; for 3rd grade-Lion King, Jr.; for 4th -5th grades, Arkansas Brass; for 6th-8th grades, UAM Jazz Band; and for 9th-12th grades, Ronald Radfort.

Recent research on college attendance for young adults and those with high arts participation has shown that these students earn higher degrees at all levels from associate degrees through graduate or professional degrees.  Those college students who have high arts participation and earned mostly A's was calculated at 15% as compared to those students with low arts earned mostly A's for college at the rate of 9%.  Unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment in 2016 also reflect that higher the degree, the lower unemployment rate as well as higher the median, usual work earnings.

SEARK BCAC committee is now working for the 2018-2019 school year to raise approximately $7500.00 for county wide emphasis in the arts to benefit all county children free for K-12 grades in the Warren School District and the Hermitage School District.

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