While the format of the Surry Arts Council’s annual fund drive kickoff was different this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal remained the same — raising $170,000 in operation revenue money to support the organization’s widespread efforts in the community.
The fund drive kick off was held Thursday, via the online video conferencing program Zoom, with board members, staff, volunteers, and members of the community participating.
Brian Royster, president of the SAC Board of Directors, noted to those watching that as doors closed, the Surry Arts Council figured out ways to open new ones.
“Venues reopened slowly, and the priority remained keeping the community safe as we kept the community engaged with the arts,” he said.
Will Sheppard, co-chairman of the 2021 campaign, shared a prayer during this presentation.
“Will’s prayer was one that everyone should hear,” said Tanya Jones, SAC executive director, said in discussing the meeting.
“He used his hand to relate to prayer while connecting the prayer components to the arts and our lives. He emphasized strength while sharing the need to pray for teachers, leaders – both local and national – and the weak before thinking about ourselves. It was truly an inspirational way to tell the important arts story while also remembering the issues that face our nation and world during these unprecedented times.”
Sheppard acknowledged the role of supporters, parents, grandparents, kids, teachers and programmers noting that arts can bring beauty and peace during these challenging times. He emphasized the importance of the success of the fund drive to ensure that the arts remain a part of the lives of those living in the community.
Nicole Harrison, 2021 fund drive co-chairman, followed with an overview of the challenges of 2020, noting the arts council has $68,000 of its $170,000 goal in hand, thanking those who have already given. Harrison focused on upcoming programs that are planned and the council leadership’s hopes for another safe year of arts programming.
She announced that the summer Blackmon Amphitheatre series is scheduled to kick off on April 29 with the Embers featuring Craig Woolard.
She also said that the Arts Alive theme this year is Fiesta! and that Arts Alive will kick off the council’s annual weeklong summer camp series on June 7, though class size will be limited in all programs and that CDC and state pandemic guidelines will continue to be followed.
Harrison shared that her family participated in the workshops during the summer of 2020 and complimented the program staff members on their hard work to continue in-person classes with safety as a priority.
She shared the new 2021 rack card detailing upcoming programs. She highlighted the fact that the dance program, led by Shelby Coleman, has more than 115 dancers enrolled who attend weekly classes, all working hard in preparation for the May recital. Weekly in-person visual arts classes with Madi Matanick are in progress as well as online zoom classes with packets of supplies that can be picked up the day of the class.
The Andy Griffith Museum welcomed more than 40,000 visitors in 2020. Although this was significantly behind prior year, “it is very positive with all the challenges,” Harrison acknowledged. New daily guided tours of the Andy Griffith Playhouse began in September and have continued to be popular with visitors.
Courtney Thompson will begin a new Reader’s Theater program on Feb. 23 while the council awaits a full reopening of community theater. The quality of life and economic impact of the arts was emphasized and the fact that many have stated that the in-person programming has been really important for their family’s emotional health during these unprecedented times.
Jones then closed the meeting by thanking board members, staff, volunteers and supporters for their hard work and creative solutions to the challenges of the past year. She thanked Ben Currin of Mount Airy and Norm Schultz of Pennsylvania who attended the Zoom kick-off representing Mayberry Fans who are major supporters of the Surry Arts Council and Mount Airy.
Upcoming events
Upcoming SAC programming includes the opening of a photo show during the Tommy Jarrell Celebration the last weekend in February along with virtual old-time classes with Emily and Martha Spencer and an in-person youth competition at The Earle at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Weekly movies at the Earle are ongoing and “The Marksman” starring Liam Neeson opens Feb. 12. Upcoming movies include Denzel Washington’s “The Little Things,” “Nomadland “with Francis McDormand, “The Father “with Anthony Hopkins, “My Salinger Year,” and “Six Minutes to Midnight.”
Free drumming classes in partnership with the Surry County African American Historical and Genealogical Society were scheduled to have begun on Saturday and continue each second Saturday through May in celebration of Black History.
The Surry Arts Council is working with area high schools on the upcoming Film Festival. Student entries will be shown on Tuesday, April 13, at 7 p.m. at The Earle to the filmmakers and friends and family. The arts council has also provided in-school in-person programming as part of the ELISS grant.
The council’s special events coordinator, Melissa Sumner, is working with a volunteer team and area schools on an online silent auction instead of the in-person Arts Ball. All of the proceeds from the auction will go toward in-school cultural arts programs. The auction is being hosted by Rogers Realty and Auction Company Inc.
The SAC oversees programs at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, the Andy Griffith Museum, the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre, and the Blackmon Amphitheatre.
Everyone is invited to be a part of the arts in the community. Membership and program information is online www.surryarts.org or may be obtained by calling (336) 786-7998 or emailing courtney@surryarts.org. Contributions can be mailed directly to the Surry Arts Council, P.O. Box 141, Mount Airy, NC or made online.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com