Artists For A Cause

ARTISTS FOR A CAUSE SUPPORTS ARTISTS WHO SERVE COMMUNITY NEEDS.

DANCE FOR FOOD PROGRAM - THE ANNUAL DANCE FOR FOOD, PRESENTED BY ARTISTS FOR A CAUSE (A4AC) BRINGS TOGETHER MANY OF FLORIDA'S AND MISSOURI'S FINEST CONTEMPORARY DANCERS TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE WHOSE ONLY ADMISSION FEE IS A BAG OF UNEXPIRED NONPERISHABLE GOODS. WITH THIS PROGRAM A4AC IS ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN SEVERAL WAYS: (1) FOOD FOR THE NEEDY - APPROXIMATELY 6,000 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE COLLECTED IN TOTAL AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE NEEDY THROUGH VARIOUS PARTNERSHIPS IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND ST. LOUIS MISSOURI. (2) PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES - 20 PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, 150 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 250 STUDENTS OF INDIVIDUAL DANCE COMPANIES PERFORMED, (3) A CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO VIEW PROFESSIONAL LEVEL DANCE FOR A NEGLIGIBLE COST. MANY OF THE ATTENDEES HAD NEVER WITNESS LIVE DANCE. THE A4AC DANCE FOR FOOD EVENT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE ARTS AS A CATALYST TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL COMMUNITY NEED. THE PROGRAM PRODUCES SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER RESULTS THAN COULD BE OBTAINED THROUGH A MORE TRADITIONAL FUNDRAISING EVENT. THE ORGANIZATION IS HERE TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND DANCE CULTURE WITH PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, WHILE ALSO RAISING MORE FOOD THAN THE PROGRAM BUDGET WOULD PURCHASE. IN ADDITION, THIS EVENT INCREASES THE COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS OF ART WHILE ALLOWING ARTISTS THE OPPORTUNITIES TO USE THEIR TALENTS TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD IN A NEW WAY. IN 2017, THERE WERE FOUR DANCE EVENTS IN MARTIN, ST. LUCIE, AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES, WHICH TOOK PLACE DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER AND TWO EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE IN ST. LOUIS MISSOURI.

MISCELLANEOUS OTHER PROGRAMS - OTHER SMALLER PROGRAMS INCLUDE: (1) SUPPORT FOR CHARITIES PROGRAM - VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTISTS FROM OUR NATIONAL NETWORK, WHICH IS OVER 1,000 THIS SEASON, SUPPORTED 12 CHARITY EVENTS, WITH PERFORMANCES, VISUAL ART FOR AUCTION, AND OTHER UNIQUE SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES ARTISTS AN OUTLET TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO FURTHER THEIR CAREER AND TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH MORE AVAILABILITY AND MORE AWARENESS OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.(2) SCHOLARSHIPS - PROVIDING FUNDS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN NEED AND, (3) SINGING WITH THE STARS TO HELP PROVIDE AWARENESS OF THE ARTS AND BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND, (4) CLASSICAL FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAM, WITH 5 PERFORMANCES IN THE USA, IMPACTED 1,000 KIDS IN 2017, INSPIRING THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS EDUCATION, AND THE BENEFIT OF A CLASSICAL FOUNDATION WITHIN THE ARTS THROUGH PERFORMANCE LECTURERS.5) SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS RECEIVED 120 PRIVATE LESSONS AND 1 STUDENT RECEIVED AN ACTING COURSE. 6) 13 EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT TALENTS WERE COACHED BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND DEVELOPED THROUGH PERFORMANCE SHOWCASES.

THERAPEUTIC ARTS PROGRAM - THIS PROGRAM EXPLORES AND UTILIZES THE HEALING POWER OF THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS. HUNDREDS OF AT-RISK YOUTHS AND HUNDREDS OF ELDERLY ARE CURRENTLY SERVED BY THE PROGRAM. A4AC HAS EXPANDED THE PROGRAM AND INCLUDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL PERFORMING ARTISTS AND VISUAL ARTS EDUCATORS INTERESTED IN SERVING THE ELDERLY AND AT-RISK YOUTHS. ART AND MUSIC THERAPY ARE PROVEN TO BE USEFUL BECAUSE OF THEIR INHERENT ABILITY TO SURPASS LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND ACHIEVE THERAPEUTIC GAINS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.152 SERVICES WERE COMPLETED IN FLORIDA, ENGAGING TOTAL PEOPLE INCLUDING THE ARTISTS AND THOSE WHO WERE SERVED. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES OF THE CURRICULUM INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, WORK ON COGNITIVE AND AUDITORY PROCESSING AND OTHER SENSORY-MOTOR, PERCEPTUAL/MOTOR, GROSS AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS, PLANNING, SEQUENCING, ORGANIZATION, ATTENTION SPAN, PROBLEM SOLVING, FLEXIBILITY, SOCIALIZATION AND IMPULSE CONTROL. ADDITIONALLY, THIS WORK HAS PROVEN TO AFFECT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS UNRELATED TO ART AND ALSO VALUES.

A4AC SCHOOL CLUBS - ACTIVATE COMMUNITY-RESPONSIBLE ARTS STUDENTS WHO USE THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS AS A MEANS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THERE ARE 4 STUDENT CLUBS IN MARTIN AND PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, AND 3 CLUBS IN THE METRO ST. LOUIS AREA, EACH WITH APPROXIMATELY 30 ARTS STUDENTS AND TEACHER SPONSOR, AN ARTS EDUCATOR WHO RECEIVED AN HONORARIUM TO COORINDATE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CLUB.