The Doña Ana Arts Council would like to thank all in our community who helped make the recent Scrap Arts Music performances in the Rio Grande Theatre so memorable. The audiences loved the energy, humor and incredible creativity of these Canadian musicians who constructed percussion instruments out of recycled industrial materials. Over 800 enthusiastic local students attended the school performances on April 20th.
During the past school year, the Doña Ana Arts Council, Las Cruces Public Schools, Court Youth Center, and Alma d’Arte Charter High School, as Kennedy Center Partners in Education, have introduced Arts Integration into three dual language multi-age classrooms at Fairacres and Desert Hills Elementary. These classrooms attended the Scrap Arts Music performance and were the April “Artists of the Month” in the El Paso Electric Gallery at the Rio Grande Theatre with their artwork and musical instruments fashioned from recycled materials. The children personally shared their recycled art projects with the public at the Downtown ArtRamble. Experiencing the arts is essential for children to thrive and can increase student engagement and achievement. We have seen this impact with the Arts Integration program.
These activities were supported, in part, with funds provided by the Devasthali Family Foundation Fund, The City of Las Cruces, Price’s Creameries, Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), New Mexico Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Artist hospitality was provided by Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces and Savoy Restaurant. We appreciate their support in helping the Arts Council achieve its mission to enhance the quality of life and develop the cultural, educational and economic growth of our community.
Supporting the arts as patrons, sponsors and advocates is an important way to enrich the cultural life of our community. Thank you.