The National Endowment for the Arts recently awarded a $10,000 Challenge America grant to the Foundation for the Revitilization of Artesia. The money from the Challenge America grant will sponsor two musicians to teach and offer classes to students. Arts in Artesia, in its sixth year, is an arts program for children at the Artesia Community Center, funded by the National Endowment of the Arts.
The program is held every Wednesday afternoon and is a nonprofit organization. All of the employees are volunteers who use their spare time to work with the arts. Many MSU students volunteer for Arts in Artesia.
“We have a lot of Mississippi State volunteers which we greatly appreciate,” said Lillian Wade, Arts in Artesia Director. “Money is not the only thing that makes us successful–it’s people willing to help with the program.”
“Students make a world of difference in the quality of our program,” Wade said. “The kids always ask when the MSU students are coming.”
This year’s program includes Blues musician Johnnie Billington and drummer/storyteller Charles Johnson. This is the second year for Billington to be chosen for the residency. He has received a W.C. Handy Blues Award for dedication to teaching blues music to young people since the 1970’s, and the Mississippi Arts Commission named him a Master Folk Artist.
“My main purpose is to give the kids something more than music,” Billington said. “The most valuable lesson is being able to teach them discipline and love among themselves.”
Johnson is the other resident artist, and has taught African and World Percussion Drumming in Mound Bayou, Tupelo and Okolona. Since developing his passion for African hand drumming, Johnson has taught children and adults for the past 15 years.
“Johnson teaches with a variety of drums with African origins called ‘Djemba,'” Wade said.
Not only will the kids learn drumming techniques on classical drums, but also everyday objects.
“The kids are going to learn drumming techniques with ordinary things in their lives like coke bottles, hub caps, aluminum ladders and barrels,” Wade said. “We don’t want the students to be limited to drums that are rare. We want them to use what they have to make music.”
Both musicians bring instruments with them for the students to use. Billington does traditional blues music with the guitar, bass, keyboard, drums and vocals. He also teaches the students how to write blues songs.
“The benefits of such residencies are tremendous,” said volunteer Alison Stamps. “The children are given continual and personal interaction in an area of the arts. Through this, we are able to see these young people develop their talent and creativity.”
Parents may register their children for classes today from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Rosenzweig Arts Center in Columbus. There is no fee for the classes.
“In Mississippi, we are blessed to have a culturally rich heritage,” said Columbus Arts Council director Heather Rowland. “This project will benefit young people not only because they will begin to learn new skills, but also they will form relationships with Mississippi artists.”
Wade hopes to have a public performance at the end of the program on MSU campus.
“It will be a really interesting program with a wide range of entertainment,” Wade said.
For more information call 325-7393 or 328-2782.