I am excited to announce the Cultural Events Series 2012-13 season. As we put the season together, we kept returning to two questions. How do we give our audiences more? How do we inspire our audiences to want more? Inspiring audiences quickly became our focal point. While searching for direction, I found an inspirational quote that succinctly expresses our focus.

“Art can inspire artists and uncreative people alike. Art can provide transportation to another world or can reveal bits of truth about the world around you. Art is something different to the artist and each person who views the art. That is the beauty and complexity and greatness of art.”--Anonymous

With this focus at the forefront, we have begun the transformation of Cultural Events Series into a program that will inspire our audiences to take the performances “beyond the stage” and into their lives. Educational outreach has always been a major component of our program. Now, instead of offering only structured opportunities for learning, we challenge our audience to learn more about the arts and apply this knowledge to their lives before, during and after the performances.

You will notice various “Inspiring Audiences” activities. These “structured” events are designed to expand your knowledge about various art forms and increase your appreciation for our performances. They are a challenge to you to begin going “beyond the stage.” These range from children’s activities, to international food recipes, to lesson plans focusing on core curriculum teaching, to just plain fun facts and trivia. They are all FREE.

We hope you enjoy and feel inspired by this season’s performances. We challenge you to bring the arts into your everyday life!

Thank you for your continued support!