Things have been heating up at Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) this summer. There have been great things going on that have kept us busy this summer and many great things yet to come! Beat Root Revival has been rescheduled to play on the Bowery Stage on August 21st, the two-week theater camp for ages 9 to 12 will be begin July 19th, and if you haven’t already checked out the Dreamscapes exhibit it will be on display in the WCA gallery until July 31st. After Dreamscapes is WCA’s 10th Annual Women in the Arts Exhibit. It is always a popular one with many entries from local women artists. The deadline to submit artwork is July 17th.
If you are feeling creative this summer you can always sign up for an art or music class. We have new ukulele and painting classes underway but it’s not too late to sign up for the acrylic paint pour workshop on July 23rd. Adults are welcome to join the Thursday painting classes and people of all ages can take private music lessons at any time.
We have many successes to celebrate so far this summer as well. “Doublewide, Texas,” directed by Shelley Aubrey, had six performances in June with many of the shows either sold out or nearly sold out. The actors were on fire and the audiences were filled with laughter. The performers and crew worked very hard to put on a hilarious show. We can’t wait to see what the theater has in store next!
Summer camps were alive with excited campers in June and early July! All the camps have been full or nearly full. There were four art camps for various age groups that explored a variety of art forms including painting, drawing, ceramics, fiber arts, and yoga. There was also a two-week theater improv camp that taught valuable skills in communication, creativity, and improvisation. We would like to thank all the staff, instructors, volunteers, and families who have made these camps possible. We would especially like to thank our sponsors: Marilee and Bill Russell, Winnsboro Community Foundation (Grahame Hopkins Art Fund), First National Bank, Sherry Dugan, Preston Morton, Becky Pickett, and Karla Chapman Stevens. Without you all, the summer camps at WCA would not be possible!
Summer camps have always been a staple for WCA children’s arts programming, but we would love to hear from you all about what kinds of children’s programming you would like to see at WCA throughout the schoolyear. If you have feedback or suggestions you can always call us at (903)342-0686 or email wca.artscenter@gmail.com.
One of my favorite quotes is from William Butler Yeats and it reads, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” I like to think of arts education and arts programming in this way. No matter how young or old we are, we are not empty vessels to be filled. We all come with prior experiences and perspectives that contribute to the larger collaborative effort. A great teacher or a great leader is more like a facilitator. They facilitate an experience and ignite other people’s passions. A group of creative minds in one place together, thinking through problems, can generate amazing heat and ignite a fire! All of the fire happening at WCA this summer is because of amazing groups of people coming together to collaboratively embrace the spirit of creativity!
