Cedar City Arts Council Updates

  You are invited to the Cedar City Arts Council Social on Monday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. in the Frehner Hall of the Utah Shakespeare Festival Building near the Fred Adams statue.  This is a free public event to celebrate the Cedar City arts community.  Refreshments will be served. This year's Arts Service Award will be presented to Roland Williams. The popular pianist and organist has served the Master Singers for many years as an accompanist.  He has performed in numerous other community events. He has served on the Cedar City Music Arts Board for many years.  "We appreciate the steadfast service of musicians and artists like Roland who have contributed over many years to building our arts community," said Roger Gold, CCAC President.  "Even though in pain much of the time as he played these last few years, he never missed a beat. He serves as an inspiration to those who know him," said Harold Shirley, Master Singers. He has performed in many civic events...

(column for Iron County Today)   Fold or Flourish? By Sara Penny, CCAC VP What is your art form? Do you write, paint, act, dance, or make pottery? Are you taking photographs, playing music in a group, or singing in a choir?  Having art as a daily part of your life is healing.  You might write poetry for yourself, do embroidery, or do sketches for family or friends. Art is art and everyone can participate. When we feel brave enough to share our art that is a bonus.   Having an artistic goal can be exhilarating, but there are commonly frustrating moments. Having a growth mindset helps to proceed. Accepting failures as a learning opportunity is the best response, instead of a stop sign on the project. So flourish rather than fold. The key concept is to keep moving forward.  There are countless examples of books being written over years instead of months. “You can’t use up creativity: the more you use, the more you have,” wrote Maya Angelou. “Too often creativity is...

  Creating Order from Chaos by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President Putting a puzzle together is about creating order from chaos. Sometimes, an arts project feels like scattered pieces that just won’t fit—but when everything locks into place, it can be wonderful. LuAnne Brown wanted to add a string program at the Escalante Valley Elementary in Beryl. She knew there were smaller instruments in the Dalley Collection at SUU, but they were overly loved and needed repairs.    A mini-grant from the Cedar City Arts Council helped with repairs so there is now an orchestra for the school. Special thanks to Luke and Vicky Heaton for excellent string services at Whittlesticks.    LuAnne explained how important these instruments have become for her students, "We have had some amazing students in our class, both last year and this. One boy comes to mind.  He came to our school when he was in third grade.  He is part of the Latin American community who are  an ...