An Arts Week for All!

As I write this blog, I'm anxiously awaiting the Grand Opening of the McCallum Arts Center (MAC for short) this evening.  Long anticipated, this center will provide another venue for the McCallum Fine Arts Academy to expand its wonderful array of arts offerings to students. According to the official website,  "...Austin voters approved bonds to build a new theater and art facility on the McCallum campus. After nearly three years of planning and construction, the state-of-the-art facility is now complete and includes a 500-seat theater, three visual arts classroom studios, gallery space, a scene shop, dressing rooms and costume storage areas."  Can't wait to check it out!

In addtion to the MAC opening, Highland Park has been heavily engaged this week in the arts as well.  Meetings over the past several days connected to the Kennedy Center's Any Given Child initiative included beginning survey work to stakeholders involved in the pilot (look for those this year!), as well as concrete planning tools for the Creative Classroom components.  It's been fascinating to sit and listen to the ideas and yes, dare I say it, the creativity of those connected with mindPOP, AISD and community arts providers, parents, and the Kennedy Center.

In the spirit of all things arts this week, and as a component to the Any Given Child initial action plan this year, 44 HP staff members also travelled to the Long Center last evening to attend the dress rehearsal for Ballet Austin's The Mozart Project.  The evening helped us kick off the year by building staff enthusiasm for the work ahead and truly provided us an avenue to show our support for the arts, as well as to strengthen our connections to each other. Pre-ballet began with a staff social at Threadgills, something we just don't get a chance to do often enough.  This night was for all of us and it was great to see everyone from our teachers to our head custodian to our nurse to our teaching assistants to our front office in attendance.  What a special evening for our staff and hopefully, the beginning of many more activities we can come together around the arts.  Check out the pics of this staff event on the HP website.

Finally, just have to say a big thank you to the fourth grade team and our very own art teachers for letting me tag along on today's field trip to the Blanton Museum.  One of four planned this year, this Art Central program helps students learn the role of a museum, gives opportunities for students to engage in higher critical thinking skills, as well as provides a forum for students to connect works of art and ideas.  I, along with my small student group headed by Mrs. Finkle, were able to compare and contrast the varied mediums used in the Teresita Fernandez Stacked Waters tiles located near the museum entrance to the Cildo Meireles installation How to Build Cathedrals.  Kids - and me too - were able to actually dip our fingers into the Meireles installation, feeling the pennies (representing wealth) that lay below the hanging cattle bones (representing death).  If you haven't seen this last piece in recent years, you really should check it out as it's quite a show stopper and provides an interesting way for the artist to provide social commentary.  Thanks to the Blanton for providing our students a hands on way to connect to the arts and to build those all important college, career, and life skills they need.

What a wonderful week of connections to the arts in the city we call home.  Gotta love it!