Arts and Culture

“IF ART IS TO NOURISH THE ROOTS OF OUR CULTURE, SOCIETY MUST SET THE ARTIST FREE TO FOLLOW HIS VISION WHEREVER IT TAKES HIM.” – JOHN F. KENNEDY

Arts and culture are essential to our quality of life! The study of art and culture enriches the human experience. Art education improves problem solving and critical thinking skills, builds focus and perseverance, and nurtures creativity, confidence, and collaboration. Cultural awareness promotes effective communication and profoundly increases the ability to appreciate and enjoy a variety of new people and experiences. Projects that include music, dance, theatre, or a cultural experience, can be both traditional and innovative. There are countless ways to support the arts and culture awareness.

2022-2024 GFWC-NC Arts and Culture CSP Chairman: Amanda Jackson

2022-2024 GFWC-NC Arts and Culture Junior CSP Chairman: Kelley Perdue

COMMUNITY CONNECTION INITIATIVE: CREATING A PATH TO COMMUNITY GEMS

What gems does your community hold; what is the sparkle that makes your community special? GFWC encourages clubs to take an active role in creating and enhancing their community by partnering with the local City Hall and Chamber of Commerce to create a digital or printed brochure indicating where visitors and families may go to experience the Art and Culture of their community.

Highlight trails for walking, jogging, and bikes; concerts; historical buildings and architecture; companies that founded their area; stores that sell local artist wares; Farmer’s Market days and location; dog parks; library; City Hall; clubhouses; theatres and movie houses…let your ideas flow and don’t forget to brand your brochure with your club’s name, location, email address, and meeting dates. Let your brochure show that your town does indeed welcome both residents and visitors to Dream Big, Sparkle More, and Shine Bright.

2022 Top Ten Projects: “Congratulations” to the following GFWC-NC Clubs:

Top Ten Project Details

PROJECT IDEAS

Support your GFWC-NC Club, District and State Arts festivals.
Sponsor Youth Art Month activities in March.
Discover art, drama, or music courses available in your community and plan a club outing to participate in a class.
Research American or International dance as an art form and create an awareness project or consider performing for your club or other groups.
Provide artwork and help decorate a reading nook at the library, a local laundromat, or other location in your community.
Establish scholarships for art, literature, drama, or music.
Teach a lesson about your cultural heritage to students, include information about the food and provide samples.
Work with your Chamber of Commerce and/or Tourist Commission to create a map of your community with pictures/drawings and descriptions of historic sites, monuments, and points of interest.
Make homemade holiday cards for nursing home residents or Meals on Wheels recipients.

STATE ARTS FESTIVAL

Clubs from around the state bring student and clubwoman crafts, visual arts and photography to the annual State Arts Festival. The festival is held annually in March. Information can be found in the GFWC-NC Arts Festival Brochure.

ARTFEST

The GFWC-NC Artfest contest is held each year at the State Arts Festival. The purpose is to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of North Carolina’s developmentally disabled citizens, particularly in the five North Carolina Developmental Disabilities Centers. The contest focuses on the elements of Life, Liberty, and Happiness and more information can be found in the GFWC-NC Arts Festival Brochure.

HISTORY

1932 – Assisted in launch of the North Carolina Symphony.
1963 – First state to endow a Chair for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
1967 – First Arts Festival held outside of Convention.
1985 – Whitener Piano Scholarship instituted for high school seniors pursuing a music degree.
1989 – Organized Artfest-An arts and crafts competition for mentally and physically challenged North Carolina citizens.
2002 – Established the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Creative Writing Student Award at Salem College which is presented in honor of a North Carolina female writer.