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The Patrons of Coweta County’s Centre for Performing and Visual
Arts is inviting the community to become members of the
organization, through its “Illuminate the Arts in 2010”
membership drive.
The non-profit Patrons of the Centre is an organization
dedicated to supporting The Centre for Performing and Visual
Arts of Coweta County. Patron memberships begin at $45 for an
individual. Those interested are encouraged to visit
centrepatrons.org or call the Centre at 770-254-2787 for more
information.
The membership drive’s illumination theme “encourages new and
renewing members to help us shine the light on the importance
the arts are our community,” said. Dr. Mary Ben Christensen,
Patrons Membership Chair.
“The continued growth of The Center for Performing and Visual
Arts will be sustained by our continuing efforts to shine the
light on the growing “stars” within all our students of the
arts,” said Christensen. “The commitment and spirit of the
Coweta County community will allow the Centre to continue to
expand its presentation of cultural enhancements and
opportunities.”
The Patrons mission is to sustain a vision of artistic
excellence for the community. They share their time, talents and
resources to ensure that Coweta’s commitment to the arts
continues to grow and prosper.
Member generosity supports events presented by The Centre for
Performing and Visual Arts, and in partnership with the Coweta
County Board of Education increases student and community
exposure to the arts. They also help underwrite student master
classes by visiting artists, a student scholarship fund managed
through Centre Patrons, a student educational assistance fund
grant (helping one Coweta student audition for the Honors Choir
at Carnegie Hall in 2009), the maintenance of a Visual Arts
Resource Library as a gift from our Centre Patrons, and the
funding of an annual mentor program to Elementary Arts Teachers
led by Newnan High Art Teacher Carol Toole.
Patrons membership levels are available beginning at $45 as a
Friend of the Centre. Patrons joining as Stars of the Centre -
with $250 membership levels and above - will receive an
invitation to the annual membership Gala celebration held
Saturday, March 27, 2010 at Coweta County’s Dunaway Gardens. The
co-chairs for this year’s membership celebration Gala event are
Mrs. George (Missy) Ballentyne and Mrs. Bill (Randa) Fallin.
Patrons memberships are for one calendar year and give members
access to Centre Patron performances – usually a minimum of one
artistic event per month – that range from theatre, music, arts
exhibits and artist encounters.
“Specifically, for 2010 we’ve add “Three Cups of Tea”
performance from the American Showplace Theatre in NYC, February
brings Floral Artistic Master John Burns with a Lunch and Learn
Exhibition and an Artist exhibit with Mark Chavok with Artist
Reception in early February,” said Don Nixon, Director of the
Centre.
In 2009, the Centre Patrons brought shows to the community
including “Teacher Man,” – an American Place Theatre performance
of Frank McCourt’s famous story performed on the Centre stage in
January – “The Belle of Amhurst” – a theatrical performance on
the life of Emily Dickenson – and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird” – by
the Montana Repertory Theatre.
“With the help of our Patrons, we cultivated some budding
theatrical students with master class opportunities in
conjunction with both Belle of Amhurst and To Kill a
Mockingbird,” said Nixon. “For the patrons of instrumental
music, hundreds enjoyed the Dallas Brass Ensemble performance in
March, followed by the music of Artie Shaw performance. In
December, Evan Drachman performed a stunning Cello Concert, and
the American Spiritual Ensemble was on stage in late January.”
Other performances sponsored and enjoyed by Patrons
contributions last year included “Annie Get Your Gun” in April,
the Daraja Children’s Choir from Kenya, the Broadway Boys, and
the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah community concert
featuring an Atlanta Symphony ensemble, students from each of
the area high schools, and the Masterworks Chorale.
In the visual arts, Patrons-sponsored exhibits at the centre in
2009 included French artist Jill Steinhause from Aix en
Provence, Coweta-County-born Plein Air artist Millie Gosch,
sculpture artists Robert Jarrell and Phil Hutzelman, and
Carrollton artist Steve Penley. Artist exhibits were accompanied
by Master Classes for students and Patrons receptions for the
artists themselves.
To join the Patrons of the Centre, or for additional
information, visit centrepatrons.org or call 770-254-2787.
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