Friends of the Arts celebrates 30 years

Thirty years ago this past spring, a group of parents and teachers discussed “how they might further enrich their children’s lives.” Through these discussions emerged a dominant interest to provide greater exposure to the Arts. Guided by a newly defined mission “to increase cultural awareness for the community and for students of the Owen J. Roberts School District,” the group launched Friends of the Arts. Organizers immediately identified five objectives and sought both volunteer and financial support to reach their projected goals. Friends of the Arts introduced its new found purpose to the Owen J. Roberts community in the first issue of its newsletter dated November 1974.

In the early years, Friends of the Arts introduced several educational programs to benefit students at various grade levels. Art Goes to School was new in 1974. Friends of the Arts designed this art appreciation program to expose children to great works of art via realistic reproductions. The reproductions were geared for individual classroom discussion at the elementary level. Other programs introduced that year were Saturday Children’s Concerts and Young Audiences, Inc. The Saturday’s Children’s Concerts allowed students and chaperones to attend five children’s concerts sponsored by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Young Audiences, Inc. introduced District elementary and Middle School students to interactive programs in the performing arts. Professional artists performed for the students as well as involved them in the performance experience.

Friends of the Arts actively seeks funding to support enrichment opportunities for all students in the District. Over the years, Friends of the Arts has raised well over $400,000 from a variety of creative fundraising projects. Greatly anticipated each year are the Craft Show, Garden Tour and Holiday House Tour. In 2004, Susan Deegan-Watson and Danielle Ewing co-chaired the Craft Show. Peg Welcomer chaired the Garden Tour, and Cheryl Van Horn and Barbara Rambo are co-chairing the upcoming Holiday House Tour.
The list of art-related ventures supported by Friends of the Arts is a long one. Here are some examples: Art Goes to School; Art Show prizes; various school assemblies; Art Museum trips; Craft Show and elementary art show; framing a senior honor artist’s work; Literature Contest for all grades; scholarships in visual arts, performing arts, music and film; special projects for art teachers and classroom teachers; equipment or costumes for theater projects; trips to the Ballet; Theater and Musical production support, i.e., sound system, play royalties, equipment and costumes.

Since its inception, Friends of the Arts has grown and developed to assume a leadership role in bringing awareness of the arts to the students of the Owen J. Roberts School District, and to the school’s immediate community and beyond. The group continues to provide every Owen J. Roberts student and every community member an opportunity for cultural enrichment.

Friends of the Arts annually awards $1000 scholarships to five graduating seniors who plan to further their studies in the visual or performing arts. Areas of study include photography, graphic arts, pottery, textiles, architecture, fashion design, mixed media, fine arts, sculpture, art education, art therapy, landscape design, floral arts and the performing arts.

Other 2004 art projects sponsored by Friends of the Arts include: a $1000 contribution toward Melissa Putz’s two-week artist-in-residency program at North Coventry; funds to purchase invitations, T-shirts and matting for an OJR Elementary Art Show at the Henrietta Hankin Library (under the direction of Sarah Smith, art teacher at Vincent School); funds for a 5^th grade trip to the Philadelphia Art Museum; funds towards outfits for the Middle School Varsity Singers; a $1000 presentation for costumes for the High School’s musical production of The Music Man.

The Friends of the Arts Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month from September through June. Officers for 2004 are President Joanne Floquet, Vice President Jean Meade, Treasurer Sharon Keith-Hopper and Secretary Carol Stubbe.