ART EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Art Education & Outreach is based on the belief that all individuals should have equal access to arts and arts education, because it builds well-rounded thinkers and problem solvers. Initiatives in this program area provide early educational opportunities, summer scholarships, and create access through public events. Many of these initiatives may share resources, purposes, and values.
SAAC budgets for these individually; however, excess funds or supplies generated from one of these events (if any) may be used to support the others.
- Art in the Park (free hands-on art "festival" for children and their families)
- Art Partners (after school art education classes)
- Community Outreach (PumpkinPalooza, Starkville Community Day, etc)
- Summer Scholarships (merit- and need-based awards for summer youth development programs in the arts).
- Workshops
SAAC budgets for these individually; however, excess funds or supplies generated from one of these events (if any) may be used to support the others.
ART IN THE PARK
October 19, 2024
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October 19, 2024 | 9 AM - 12 PM
This annual FREE event is open to the public and provides hands-on exposure to children (and their families) to chalk, beads, clay, paint, drums, drawing, writing, theatre, dance, and more. Expose youth to creative exploration as a core competency skill and build well-rounded thinkers. Art in the Park is free and open to the public: all art materials used in the activities are provided at no cost to attendees. Local art and community groups (Del Rendon Foundation, MSU Figure-Drawing Club, Starkville Strings, and more) collaborate to provide a range of activities that reflects the diversity of the arts located here. If you would like to donate art supplies for this year's event, check out our Amazon registry HERE. We are also seeking booth volunteers—if you'd like to help out this year, check out the available slots HERE. |
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- In 2018, we estimate that 200 children attended with their families.
- In 2019, we quickly adapted to an indoor location, hosting more than 150 children and families.
- In 2020, as an alternative to in-person classes and events as a result of COVID-19 concerns, 400 Art Boxes were distributed as part of Art in the Park and Art Partners initiatives. More than 250 Art Boxes were distributed at J.L. King Park in Starkville, MS, on September 26 and 100 at Maben Park in Maben, MS, on October 3. In addition, 30 were given to the J.L. King Center and another 30 given to Pecan Acres (both in Starkville). Each Art Box contained various drawing, painting, reading, writing, and craft supplies.
- In 2022, we had around 150 kids and their families come out to JL King Park
2024 Sponsors
Poster Sponsor
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Supply Sponsor
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Clay Booth Sponsor
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Chalk Booth Sponsor
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Booth Sponsor
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Drums Booth Sponsor
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2024 Booth Volunteers
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Lab Rats
MSU Neuroscience Club |
2023 SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS
Art in the Park appreciates support from various businesses and charities, including (for 2023):
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Past Photos
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ART PARTNERS
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This is our after-school program that provides hands-on extracurricular art classes to foster creativity, confidence, and exploration. Serving as many as 100+ youth per semester, this program is currently located at three sites:
1) Starkville Public Library - Tuesdays at 4 pm with Bonnie 2) Council of Community Organization (COCO Center) - Tuesdays & Thursdays at 3:30 pm with Joseph 3) J.L. King Center - Thursdays at 4 pm with Bonnie 4) Starkville Community Market - Select Saturdays at 8 am with Joseph SAAC provides the teaching artist and supplies at no additional cost to the sites or youth in the program. If your child attends any of these after-school programs, please contact the program's administrator to enroll. This program is ready for expansion as funding is available. If you would like to help, please contact us. |
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Our Teaching Artist Fellows
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Joseph MacGown (Spring 2023 - Winter 2023)
Joseph MacGown works with improvisation in an eclectic array of colorful mediums to create whimsical strange images.
See more of Joseph's work: http://instagram.com/joseph_h_macgown |
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Bonnie Renfroe (Fall 2019 - Summer 2022)
Bonnie V. Renfroe loves kids, art, and music. She has taught drumming, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and painting all over the South. A breast cancer survivor herself, Bonnie has shared her art and drumming with cancer patients at Baptist Hospital in Jackson.She exhibits her art at Columbus Arts Council, Columbus MS; Southside Gallery, Oxford; and Attic Gallery, Vicksburg. Bonnie proudly displays her work at the Cotton District Arts Festival every year and was an active member of Craftsman's Guild of MS for many years.Her art is in private collections all over the US and the world; including Mali, Jamaica, Japan, Scotland, India, England, Slovenia, and Germany. Bonnie dances and is a drummer in Jembe Den, a local African drum group; as well as facilitates enriching community Drum Circles- building bridges in the community through peace and acceptance. Bonnie Renfroe enjoys playing percussion with RL Boyce and his Blues band from Como, Mississippi. |
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Art Partners appreciates support from various sources including:
Del Rendon Foundation
Windgate Foundation: Art Partners Fellowship grantor
Atmos Energy
Walmart Community Grants Team and Facility #112
SOAR Create Foundation
Del Rendon Foundation
Windgate Foundation: Art Partners Fellowship grantor
Atmos Energy
Walmart Community Grants Team and Facility #112
SOAR Create Foundation
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH
PumpkinPalooza
DATE: OCTOBER 26, 2023
2020 Poster
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We're back with our Pumpkin Painting booth during the 2023 Pumpkin Palooza on October 26, 2023, from 5-7pm on Main Street in downtown Starkville.
PumpkinPalooza is an annual event hosted by the Starkville CVB, held downtown each October. It includes trick-or-treating with merchants, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, and live music. SAAC hosts the popular pumpkin painting booth. Purchase a pumpkin from the event or bring your own and and come paint it for free! SponsorsLet us know if you would like to sponsor this event!
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Starkville Community Day
Starkville Community Day is an annual event organized by various community members to provide a day and night of festivities and outreach at J.L.King Park. It includes food, live music, and outreach by various nonprofits to benefit an underserved community geared for both families and adults. SAAC hosts its mural wall during the family-oriented part of the day.
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SponsorsLet us know if you would like to sponsor this event!
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Little Free Libraries
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As an expansion of our popular 2020 Art Box drive, SAAC is working to place Little Free Libraries in Starkville neighborhoods with growing need for educational resources. We maintain these with books, school supplies, and a place for other nonprofits to share information on their resources.
Our first Little Free Library is located at Starkville Housing Authority on Alfred Perkins Dr. This Library was donated to SAAC by an Anonymous donor. Our second Little Free Library is located at Council of Community Organizations (COCO). This Library was purchased through a grant from 100 Women Who Care! |
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This program has been suspended for 2024 due to lack of funding. If you would like to sponsor this program, please reach out to Mary at [email protected].
SUMMER SCHOLARSHIPS
for Youth Development Programs!
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SAAC offers merit and need-based summer scholarships for youth ages 11-18 for youth development art programs. This initiative creates access across the summer months, inspiring creative development for longer-term impact. The past two consecutive years have shown record numbers of applications. More than $7,000 was awarded to 26 talented young people for summer 2019 programs. Current and past recipients have attended programs hosted by a number of organizations, including:
Starkville Area Arts Council awards summer scholarships to Oktibbeha County youth for extracurricular enrichment and youth development programs in the arts (performing arts, music, applied arts, visual arts, creative writing, etc). See link below for more details.
DEADLINE: April 10, 2023, at MIDNIGHT. |
Scholarship Recipients: MSU Summer Scholars OnStage 2019
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RULES
Applicants must be between the ages of 11 and 18 and reside in Oktibbeha County. Applicants may not be currently enrolled in or attending college. Parents & Guardians should sign this form on behalf of students who are under 18. Decisions are based primarily upon merit, although student need will also be considered. The applicant should be thoughtful and specific when answering the questions.
One recommendation letter is required. The letter should address the student’s commitment and skill level. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Students should alert their reference person that a letter is required and they should receive an email requesting the information. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that a correct email address is provided for the reference.
Any awards are paid directly to the camp or program for the benefit of the student.
One recommendation letter is required. The letter should address the student’s commitment and skill level. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Students should alert their reference person that a letter is required and they should receive an email requesting the information. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that a correct email address is provided for the reference.
Any awards are paid directly to the camp or program for the benefit of the student.
Sponsorships available!
Your sponsorship will help expand and grow this rare summer development opportunity for youth!
WORKSHOPS
Ever wanted to learn how to oil painting, watercolor, crochet or knitting, decorate cakes, how to do pottery? Our workshops are taught by local professionals and will teach you what you have always wanted to learn!
Past workshops have included:
Past workshops have included:
- Senior Art Hour - (Wednesdays in Spring-Summer 2023)
- Canvas Cakes with Proof Bakery (Oct 19, 2023)
- Thrifted Art Paint Party (Oct 21, 2023)
- Beginner Crochet Workshop with Taylor Green (February 15, 2024)
- Beginner Watercolor Workshop with Dorrie Wu (March 29, 2024)
- Clay Workshop with Bonnie Brumley - Pinch Pots (April 4, 2024)
- Plarn Workshops with Taylor Green (April 13 & 23, 2024)
- Clay Workshop with Bonnie Brumley - Mugs & Cups (April 13, 2024)
- Clay Workshop with Bonnie Brumley - Planters (April 17, 2024)
- Clay Workshop with Bonnie Brumley - Spoons & Scoops (April 25, 2024)
- Halloween Thrifted Art Paint Party (October 12, 2024)
Upcoming & Ongoing Workshops
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You asked and we listened! Join us for FREE Plarn workshops, now regularly at the Starkville Public Library.
Join us every FIRST Saturday of the month from 12-2 pm at the Starkville Public Library. Please bring any plastic bags you have stashed away that can be used to make your plarn. These workshops are FREE and open to anyone willing to learn. No RSVP necessary. What is Plarn? Plarn is yarn made from plastic - usually plastic grocery bags. It is a great way to keep your plastics out of landfills by giving the plastic a new life. If you have any questions, please email Juliette at [email protected] |
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Ceramic Workshop - Bonnie Birds
Nov. 30, 2024 | 1-3 pm 109 W Main St. (SAAC & Proof Bakery) Join us for another ceramic workshop at SAAC on Saturday, November 30 at 1 pm at SAAC/Proof Bakery. This workshop will be a pottery sculpting workshop to learn how to make "Bonnie Birds." Bonnie Birds are unique, one-of-a-kind, hand-built, palm-sized clay birds. No commercial molds will be used; instead, simple tools such as small wooden blocks and your own hands will be used. Whether you choose to make a chickadee, owl, bluebird, or wren; each will be your own work of art. Tickets are $25 per person, limited to 12 tickets. Your ticket includes the lesson from Bonnie Renfroe AND glazing and firing of your projects. Funds raised from this workshop are split between SAAC and the teaching artist. |
What do you want to learn next? Email director@starkvillearts and let us know!
