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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 -- Bobbitt Visual Arts Center, Albion College

Fifty-five young artists were honored this evening in a ceremony conducted by the Arts Advisory Committee of the Albion Community Foundation. Artwork created by these fifty-five students was matted, framed, and displayed in a group collection at the Bobbitt Visual Arts Center Art Gallery, and viewed by over 100 Albion residents, including the artists, their families, friends, and the Arts Advisory Committee. A public recognition of the artist followed the public viewing of the collection. The work ranged from abstract collages, to near photo realism, from line art, to standing sculptures. Students from all Albion Schools, including St. Johns School participated in the event.

The work will be displayed for one year in the following locations:

Albion City Hall, Albion Community Foundation, Albion Public Library, Albion Volunteer Service Organization, Charlies Snyder Building, Cherry Hill Urgent Care, EDC and DDA, Homestead Savings Bank, Sheridan Township Hall.

The following art teachers were recognized: Kay Knight, Donna Meader, Kevin Studley, and Karen Dobbins. The following Albion residents serve on the Arts Advisory Committee:

Karen Dobbins, Donna Stohl (co-chairs), Virgina Pettersen, Dorothy Huber, Donna Williams, Tonya Arnett, Mary Habicht, Nancy Roush, Renee Kreger, Scott Dillery.

Check back at this location for photos of the art on display.

In February 1988 the Foundation established the Community Arts Advisory Committee, organized to promote and support the arts in the greater Albion Community through the sponsorship of public performances and exhibitions by performing and visual artists. At that time, $10,000 was placed in a special Community Arts Fund by ACF.

Today this field-of-interest fund is endowed at over $45,000, and about $2,500 in arts-related grants are made to the community annually. The advisory committee continues to assess needs, recognize opportunities, solicit project ideas and generate proposals, and develop resources in the area of community arts.

This is the fifth year of its Art in Public Places program, where over 52 pieces of framed art -- collected from all of Albion's K-12 art teachers and juried by advisory committee members -- are hung for a group showing at Albion College's Bobbit Hall, then displayed in various public buildings around the city for one year's time.

Besides funding the costs of the Art in Public Places program, recent grants from the Albion Community Foundation's Community Arts Fund have included:

1996 - $4,868 for the "Sweet Spring" and "Sizzling Summer" arts programs for school-aged children
1997 - $1,800 to the Albion Historical Society for the restoration of old advertising signs painted on downtown buildings
1998 - $1,000 to the Gilmore Key Festival for pianists' performance at APS
1999 - $750 to the Whitehouse Nature Center for nature/art classes for children
2000 - $485 for a Community Arts Directory
2001 - $3,000 to the Albion Middle School's "Year of Rhythm and Music" program
2002 - $2,000 to Kids 'N Stuff Museum for an interactive relief mural/climbing wall
2002 - $700 to the Sigma Alpha Iota sorority of Albion College for a "Music Day" elementary school program

Albion Community Foundation
203 S. Superior St.
P. O. Box 136
Albion, MI 49224
Phone: 517.629.3349
Fax: 517.629.8027

www.albionfoundation.org