How We Serve the Community

In September 2005, The Cultural Arts Center began an in-school volunteer choral music program in the Dothan City Elementary Schools. Over one hundred volunteers were going into the schools every week and teaching a 30-minute choral music lesson. The year long program concluded with a massive combined concert at the Dothan Civic Center in May of each year. As a result of two years of volunteering in the Dothan City Schools, elementary music teachers have been returned to the classroom. One hundred and thirty-two elementary classrooms now have music education, giving a positive influence to over 2000 children. The Cultural Arts Center is now working with the middle schools to begin a choral program for these students and to combine their work with the Dothan City Schools music program by providing a concert in May of each year.

In addition to our work with the schools, The Alabama State Council on the Arts has awarded a grant allowing us to continue the after school programs for the underserved students in our community. Instructional classes in Hip Hop, Jazz, Classical Ballet, Beginning Tap, piano, strings, visual art, and an intermediate choral program for 3rd-5th graders will begin each October and continue through the school year. Multiple recitals, performances, and showings will be conducted for the general public to allow these students a chance to perform their talents for others.

In addition to the after school program, The Alabama State Arts Council grant enables The Cultural Arts Center to provide summer camps in multiple artistic disciplines for the underserved student as well as the general public. Camps will be held throughout the summer break in areas of the visual arts, dance, theater, music and instruments. Local arts organizations provide quality level instructors for each camp along with upper level students from Troy University, Troy campus. More than 200 children participate in the camp each year.

As The Cultural Arts Center continues to grow and increase its programs and services, providing instruction in the various art disciplines to seniors will be one of their major goals along with growing a fine arts school for the underserved. Connecting the Arts to our Community will make our community richer and improve the lives of all our citizens.

  
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