Winnsboro Center for the Arts’ vision and mission is to provide the community with arts education programming, entertainment, and cultural events because here at WCA “we believe that participating in the arts promotes creativity, entrepreneurship, and spiritual well-being which are essential for community and economic vitality.” Healthy spiritual well-being is the ability to appreciate and find meaning and purpose in life through one’s connection with one’s self, theirs and others art, music, literature, nature, or a power greater than oneself. It is also the ability to connect to and heal the collective, for in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
In the past year there has been much suffering in the United States. The half a million deaths due to Covid-19 in the United States in the past year, the continuing struggle for racial equity, and the attack on the national capitol building in January have all been difficult for us adults to process and can be especially confusing for children and teens. The recent snowstorm that hit Texas left many without water or power for days and damage to their homes. The combination of these events has left many feeling isolated and in need of connection to others and community.
Here at Winnsboro Center for the Arts we are looking towards the future with hope. We will be bringing opportunities for the community of Winnsboro to come together, and heal through the creation and appreciation of the arts. We have many exciting classes, workshops, events, and kids summer camps planned for the spring, summer, and beyond!
On May 1st the Festival of Books will feature a children’s concert and story time by the undisputed “King of Cajun” music, Jo-El Sonnier. Following his morning performance, Jo-El will also have children’s books available to sign. The Festival of Books will be a great opportunity for local authors to share and talk about their works with the community.
Starting in June we will have several different types of one week kids’ art camps and a two-week theater improv camp. In each visual art camp, the students will explore a variety of interesting mediums including painting, clay, and fiber arts! The week of June 14 and the week of June 21 will be for ages 6 to 10, the week of June 28 will be for ages 10 to 12, and the week of July 5 will be for teens. The two-week long theater improv camp for kids ages 10 and older will begin on June 14. We are so excited to have these opportunities for kids to be creative and expressive!
We continue to offer beginning to intermediate guitar, beginner to advanced saxophone, and beginner piano, flute, clarinet, and voice lessons. These lessons are $25 per half hour, and our instructors will provide a free 30-minute consultation.
The spiritual, social, emotional, and academic benefits of art education are endless. In my time as an art educator, I have found that art making is a form of story telling and a way for artists of all ages to tell their stories, to express, and to be heard. When we feel heard and understood we feel less lonely and more connected to others. Art is also a way for children to explore their relationship to the world and to others, to make meaning as they grow and learn about the world around them. At Winnsboro Center for the Arts, we strive to provide those very opportunities to express, be heard, grow, and connect.
