The Kiawah Island Arts, etc. 2025 season is off and running. The volunteer organization’s mission is to connect communities by bringing visual, performance and literary arts education to the students of Johns and Wadmalaw Islands, and it has just announced details of its Program Partners for 2025.
Partners include ArtsNow Teacher Development at Angel Oak Elementary School. At the recent Arts, etc. member luncheon on February 5, the Angel Oak Principal Judith Condon thanked Arts, etc. for invaluable support for arts education in the schools. She then introduced ArtsNow education specialist Dr. Maribeth Yoder-White, who demonstrated one of the techniques she is teaching the elementary teachers. Clapping and knee slapping sets a rhythm for the children to follow along and aids in learning to read. The members at the luncheon learned that it’s also fun.
Other Program Partners funded by Arts, etc. include Pure Theatre, which is continuing its after school program at Haut Gap Middle School and St. Johns Island High School. It has proven so impactful that the CCSD is hiring a theater teacher for both schools. Chamber Music Charleston continues its residency program with Haut Gap string classes, where students learn from and perform with professional musicians. Charleston Jazz Orchestra works with Haut Gap and St. Johns High band classes, introducing jazz fundamentals including improvisation. Yo Art! teaches coding classes at Haut Gap and has added a fashion design class in response to student interest. Yo Art will begin coding classes at Mt. Zion Elementary this month, and a filmmaking course is in the works at St. Johns High. Children’s Opera (College of Charleston) will be performing “Goldie B. Locks and the Three Singing Bears” at all three elementary schools this spring. Students from all the schools will take field trips to the Gaillard Center to see events such as Alvin Ailey Dance, Jazz Day and Vanishing Elephant.
Additional Program Partners providing exciting collaborative activities with the Sea Island youth are Charleston Stage, Engaging Creative Minds, Palmetto City Ballet, Gibbes Museum and Dance Moves.
To help fund Program Partners like ArtsNow and others listed above, Arts, etc. produces the Kiawah Art and House Tour, established in 2000. The 2025 tour will be on Friday, April 11 from 1 until 5 p.m. Tickets are available now at kiawahartsetc.org. A concurrent Online Auction featuring artwork and other objects can be accessed on the same website from April 1-11. Artwork will be displayed from April 1-11, at the Freshfields branch of our Presenting Sponsor, First National Bank.
