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Powell River students benefit from art-focused grant

School district sheds light on value of children’s theatre
ArtStarts
GROUP SESSION: Elementary school kids immerse themselves in activity with a visiting theatre group. School District 47 brings a number of performing artists to town every year thanks to a grant from ArtStarts in Schools. Contributed photo

Nearly 800 students from local schools will be bused to Max Cameron Theatre this week to see a presentation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Due to a grant from ArtStarts in Schools, an organization that promotes arts programming for youth in BC, the play is one of five productions taking place this school year.

“Every year, we apply for the grant with the school district,” said Max Cameron Theatre manager Jacquie Dawson, who attends a yearly showcase on behalf of School District 47 with other provincial staff involved in the arts. As a group, they select from a number of artists whose performance fees can be covered by the grant.

The school district matches the amount applied for, as the grant does not pay for transportation or other associated costs, said Dawson.

Many artists are available to choose from, representing a diverse array of styles, themes and age ranges, she added.

When picking from the different artists, Dawson prioritizes variety and cultural opportunity.

“If they just sit there and play, I don’t bring them; I insist that they engage with the students,” she said.

Many productions are available in French or as blended-language shows, said Dawson, making them a good match for French-language programs.

Henderson Elementary School teacher Corey Gordon said the ArtStarts in Schools grant has been very valuable for students at his school.

“There’s quite a range in audience appeal and the plays can serve as cultural introduction for a variety of age groups,” said Gordon.

Longtime theatre performer Tara Travis, owner of Vancouver-based Monster Theatre, will travel to Powell River to act in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Travis, who said she is thrilled with the opportunity, added that theatre is a uniquely effective way to engage school-age children.

“There’s something really special about live performance, the immediacy and risk of it,” she said.

Travis credits her lifelong interest in theatre to a performance she saw when she was six years old.

“Not everyone is destined to be a theatre artist, but kids’ theatre is all about empowering children and reminding them that their imaginations are valuable,” she said.

From a career perspective, Travis said ArtStarts in Schools is “a giant lightbulb that I was so grateful to have been handed.”

After years of performing in a self-propelled theatre group and seeing the difficulties of production and advertising, Travis was introduced to the ArtStarts in Schools grant by a colleague. Through the grant, her company has been able to perform in remote communities, some only accessible by float plane.

“The ArtStarts grant is amazing because it gives artists like us the opportunity to reach communities that otherwise would not be able to afford to bring us,” said Travis.

According to Travis, ease of access is only part of what makes the grant so appealing. She said there is a real value in communities curating their experience and choosing artists they will benefit from the most.

“Not only do the school districts choose from the large offering of different art groups listed with ArtStarts,” she said, “they are able to have that experience funded.”