Our Programs
We're proud of our programming for children and adults in the schools and in adult care facilities, daycare centers, and holidays and for individual towns. Take a look at our cultural arts programs and services. You may learn that the arts are alive in Union County!
Arts in Education Programs and Services
A total of 48 schools were served in 2007-08. With growing student enrollment, we find it necessary to focus on specific cultural arts programs and services that target art classes and curriculum related to the arts, i.e. drama, visual art, literary art. Planning and organization with Arts Council staff and school administrators, staff and teachers is key to the success of these projects.
Arts in Education projects/programs conducted in 2007-08:
Preschool
- Children's Theatre production of "Animal Tales" for over 900 daycare children
Elementary
- Tarradiddle Players production of "If You Give a Pig a Party"
- Open Dream Ensemble production of "The Amazing Adventure of Anne Marie" for Title I schools
- Grey Seal Puppets production of "Salsa Cinderella" for Wolfe Development School and Walter Bickett Education Center
- Magic Trunk Theatre Company production of "Three Little Pigs, Southwestern Style"
- Platinum sponsor of Walter Bickett "Community Schools" project
- Sponsoring nonprofit for NC Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Support our Students after school program at Walter Bickett Elementary
- Lead organization in Education Institute of the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center project with Benton Heights Elementary School, weaving the arts throughout the entire curriculum and employing the arts in the classroom to meet state and national standards. Benton Heights has been names an arts magnet school for 2007-08.
- Fred Ingold Memorial Music Festival
- Junior Broadway production of "Lights, Camera, Action" at Benton Heights Elementary School
- Union County Student Artist Showcase
- NC Arts Council cARTwheel program "Schoolhouse Rock Live"
Middle
- Sigrid Hice, bookmaking artist in residence
- Newspaper in Education arts project for 6th-7th grade students
- Union County Student Artist Showcase
- Shakespeare Recitation Competition
High
- Union County Student Art Competition
- Union County Student Writing Competition
- Union County Performance Ensemble
- Very Special Arts Festival
- Shakespeare Recitation Competition
- Union County Student Artist Showcase
Community Arts Programs and Services
Community outreach remains a goal of the Union County Community Arts Council. Our focus is on projects of community interest and designed to provide cultural arts opportunities throughout Union County.
2007-08 project include:
- Doug Helms Memorial Art Show
- Musical presentations in nine Union County senior care facilities
- Union County Student Artist Showcase
- July 4th celebration in Monroe
- Monroe Barbeque Cookoff
- Children's Theatre of Charlotte performance for area daycare children
- Senior Games/Silver Arts
- Open House receptions and exhibits
- Union County Artist's Directory
- Cooperative partnerships with area businesses and nonprofit agencies
- Resource agency for Union County arts organizations and individuals
- Reorganizing the Union Symphony Society
- Reorganizing the Union County Community Theatre
- Union County Artist Project Grant
- Quarterly newsletters
- Website support to Union County artists and art organizations
To be considered for funding, a group or individual must operate in Union County and apply for funding for arts projects that impact Union County and increase public awareness of the arts. Evaluation criteria include organizational strength, financial stability, project merit and educational and community outreach.
Interested applicants are urged to contact the Union County Community Arts Council. The funding deadline is mid-summer of each year.
The Union County Community Arts Council has announced that 16 Union County artists, arts groups and school projects have received funding from the Council's Grassroots/Projects Pool Arts Grant program. Funds have been made available to non-profit, tax-exempt organizations whose purpose is to promote and develop diverse cultural arts programming in Union County.
The board of directors voted to approve grant applications for the following arts organizations:
Cooperative Partnerships
Businesses and non-profit agencies join with us to create arts awareness in our community, including public arts events, gallery exhibits, and community celebrations including Monroe's July 4th patriotic celebration. Business partnerships support economic development and have a significant impact on the quality of life for Union County residents.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for a number of arts programs throughout the year and bring significant exposure to businesses in Union County.
Published each year, the Union County Artist's Directory is a resource directory intended for use as a tool in identifying individual artists and organizations capable of providing arts programs and services in Union County. The goals are to support the artists of Union County and to enlighten the public to the variety and quality of artwork being created by accomplished artists.
To be included in the next publication, contact the Union County Community Arts Council for a listing request.
Art Gallery
The Union County Community Arts Council is located in historic downtown Monroe. The beautiful rotunda gallery with stained glass and mirrors creates an ideal location for arts exhibits throughout the year. Famous North Carolina guest artists have exhibited in the gallery, including Bob Timberlake, Ben Long and Georgie Pocheptsov and traveling exhibits from the Mint Museum of Charlotte and the North Carolina Museum of Arts and Science. The gallery welcomes artists throughout the region.
© 2007 Union County Community Arts Council
