Friday, January 10, 2003

South Fulton students to share in new arts program

The arts program in south Fulton has received an enormous boost thanks to an innovative $40,000 grant funded though the Arthur Blank Family Foundation.

Beginning next school year, Tri-Cities High and its feeder elementary and middle schools will collaborate with the Atlanta Ballet, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, and the American Composers Forum to produce a new dramatic work based on a classic play by Shakespeare with new music and choreography.

Students involved in the Shakespeare x 3 project will create and perform in the production and be guided by adult artists from within the Atlanta community.

"Although we have each worked with the students in the arts magnet program at Tri-Cities at one time or another, this is the first time that all of our organizations have collaborated on a single project," says Lane Wilson, Director of the Atlanta Chapter of American Composers Forum.

"Needless to say, we all are thrilled to have this opportunity. The support and success of previous programs coordinated with the Fulton County School System prove that this grant can be funded with full confidence of rousing success."

In issuing its grants criteria, the Blank Foundation challenged local groups to partner and create programs that result in creative collaboration. The Shakespeare x 3 grant was one of two arts grants involving Fulton County schools and staff.

The second grant provides $50,000 for a choral music summer camp for girls aged 10-14. That proposal, created by Spivey Hall, the Horizons Program, Athens YWCO, and the American Composers Forum, was generated with support from Fulton County Music Coordinator Jay Wucher who chairs the Spivey Hall Education Committee. Wucher was one of the grant defenders and also will help select eligible students for the camp.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation supports programs and organizations that create opportunity, enhance self-esteem and increase awareness about cultural and community issues among young people.

It awards funding primarily in five geographic areas: Georgia; Maricopa County, Arizona; coastal South Carolina (the counties of Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton and Jasper); New York City (the boroughs of Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island); and Park and Gallatin counties in Montana.

Arthur M. Blank founded The Arthur M. Blank Foundation in 1995 to share his civic values and the joy of giving with his family. Since that time, Foundation and personal grants paid total more than $86 million. Mr. Blank co-founded The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. He is chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Atlanta Falcons.