The Columbia County School District is introducing the inaugural Arts at the Plaza that will present over 1,000 talents on Saturday, April 27, at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center in Evans.
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at 1000 Market St., Arts at the Plaza will give the community an opportunity to enjoy viewing a variety of K-12 student performances in drama, band ensembles, honor chorus and visual arts.
By representing various art forms at the same time, the district’s Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Director Brooks Smith said he believes the family-friendly art festival will unite locals in a whole new manner.
“This is our first time where we’ve pulled all different forms of art and students from all grade levels across our 30 schools,” he said. “To appreciate art in all its forms is important … it’s also important to ensure that the community as a whole recognizes young people and those who work everyday with these programs.”
With the Evans Market taking place just outside the performance center, Smith said he is hoping for a large community turnout where attendees are free to come and go as they please throughout the day.
“We just hope people will come out,” he said. “This is another way to show that we offer opportunities for engagement across the spectrum of interests that students may have.”
Smith also said the Arts in the Plaza event will encourage the continued engagement of students.
“It’s about the engagement of our students and that’s what we’re focusing on this year,” he said. “Students who are engaged stay in school and they graduate … we celebrate baseball, we celebrate football, but we need to celebrate every type of extracurricular that our students are engaged in.”
Partnering with the Columbia County School District Foundation, students’ visual works and prints will also be available for sale with profits benefiting the Foundation.
Tickets to attend Arts at the Plaza event are $8, including taxes and fees, and can be purchased at www.thecenterofcc.com or by visiting www.ccboe.net/finearts
Ticket holders may also receive discounts on products and services at participating businesses.
“With the Columbia County School District Foundation that money will be made available for the continued support of our fine arts program,” Smith said.
As family members and friends attend the art showcase, Smith said he hopes they will most of all leave with a sense of pride for Columbia County’s next generation of artists.
“We hope they will continue to support our art programs, and support the students and teachers that really pour everything they have into this,” he said. “… I think it’s great that our community – our parents, students and teachers – are able to take advantage of this unique opportunity that we have in Columbia County.”
