Community Foundation of the Ozarks

Brielle Looney, 8, shows off her clay artwork.

The CFO joins the Springfield Regional Arts Council in celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Arts in the Park Summer Workshops for at-risk youth from the Springfield Community Center.

According to the SRAC’s recent news release, more than 900 children have participated since 2001 in the eight-week program that focuses on artistic instruction from the city’s arts groups. This year’s participants include the Springfield Little Theatre, SRO Lyric Theatre, Springfield Ballet, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the Claymobile (a mobile ceramic education program of the Arts Council and Springfield Pottery), the Moxie Cinema, and visual teaching artists, Kate Baird and Susan Goodman.

“The children are challenged to think, learn, engage, expand, commit, share, and dare,” said Calvin Allen, CEO of the Springfield Community Center. “By the end of each summer, the participants show significant growth in their ability to confidently communicate their thoughts and feelings to others through a variety of art forms.”

The CFO has been connected to the program since it began with support from longtime CFO donors and volunteers Rob and Sally Baird. The program is now supported by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional funding from the Missouri Arts Council, the Musgrave Foundation, and an anonymous donor.

Arts in the Park graduates have continued their participation in the arts through choir, band, dance, theater and visual art classes in their high school career.

“It [the program] has influenced me to draw more which will help me pursue a career in automotive engineering,” Chris Shields, 16, a graduate of the program and junior at Central High School, told the SRAC.

A new element of this year’s program is the Springfield Civility Project initiative, which the CFO also is participating in with other community leaders.  Arts in the Park includes a focus on the 10 tenets of civility being promoted through “Be Civil. Be Heard.” The project is intended to create a more welcoming and respectful environment where everyone’s views are encouraged and heard.

“We have had tremendous results,” SRAC Executive Director Leah Hamilton said. “All of our instructors, some who have been with the program since its inception, have said they have never known the students to be so engaged and behaved.”

This year’s graduation celebration will take place at 1:30 p.m., Friday, July 29. The students will entertain with a special presentation. The graduation is open to the public at The Creamery Arts Center, 411 N. Sherman Parkway, across from Hammons Field.

The success of the 2nd annual  ”Flights of Fancy” raised $3,455 for the “10 Weeks Festival” from guests who enjoyed seeing  a variety of Springfield performing groups and celebrating the annual Ozzie award winners.

The event hosted by the Springfield-Branson National Airport last Thursday drew more than 200 people to the Airport’s large front lobby area where performers and “cats” attracted quizzical looks from arriving and departing passengers.

The proceeds from the event will go toward the final tally for the “10 Weeks Festival,” a CFO Arts in Action initiative. The proceeds will be divided evenly between the Arts Education Endowment Fund and the Care to Learn program, which provides health, hunger and hygiene needs in Springfield Public Schools and other chapters.

An addition to this year’s Flights of Fancy event was the annual Ozzie Awards, sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council to recognize major support of the arts in our community. This year’s awards were presented to Virginia Bussey, Lifetime Achievement Award; Sen. Roy Blunt, Leadership Award; CoxHealth, Corporate Award; and the SATO-48 film festival, Organization Award. State Sen. Bob Dixon and state Rep. Charlie Denison presented resolutions of support on behalf of the Missouri Senate and House for the Leadership Award to Sen. Blunt.

Some tickets still remain for the second “Flights of Fancy” celebration taking place at the Springfield-Branson National Airport on Thursday.

The event, which includes a great program of Springfield performers, the Springfield Regional Arts Council’s Ozzie Awards and other special presentations, takes place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. tomorrow.

All proceeds from the tax-deductible $25 ticket price benefit the “10 Weeks Festival” and are equally shared between the Foundation’s Arts Education Endowment and featured speaker Doug Pitt’s “Care to Learn” program.

The SRAC will honor Virginia Bussey as this year’s Individual Award Recipient. Other Ozzies will be presented to: SATO 48 for the Organizational Award; Cox Health Systems for the Corporate Award; and Sen. Roy Blunt for the Leadership Award.  As a special part of the awards ceremony, state Sen.  Bob Dixon will present a House and Senate Resolution for the 2011 Ozzie Award honorees as well as the Leadership Ozzie to Sharon Nahon, who will accept on behalf of Sen. Blunt.

A performance schedule for the evening is as follows:

• Springfield Little Theatre Young Artists, Lander’s Kids and Troupers in Training: 6-6:30
• Springfield Symphony-Borderline Wind Trio:  6:30-6:45
• Springfield Ballet: 6:45-7
• “Arts in Action”/”Care to Learn” and Springfield Regional Arts Council Ozzie Awards: 7-7:30
• SRO Lyric Theatre: 7:30-7:45
• Springfield Symphony-Borderline Wind Trio: 7:45-8
• Springfield Ballet: 8-8:15
• SRO Lyric Theatre: 8:15-8:30

Eight members of the Arts Council’s Registry artists will provide ongoing demonstrations, as well as interactions with costumed cast members of Springfield Little Theatre’s  production of “Cats,” sidewalk artist, Eric Vaughn, living artist “statues” and many other roving entertainers and performers.

Tickets are available online, or or may be purchased at the door. Guests may park in the lot on the east side of the Airport.