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The Arts Council of Johnson County /  smART Blog
October 3, 2022 In Arts Council

Values Statement

The Arts Council of Johnson County's vision is to be recognized for its effectiveness in promoting the cultural and economic development of Johnson County through the arts. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for Johnson County by strengthening the arts. ACJC's work is guided by our mission and core values: community, creativity, quality of life and stewardship Our programs, convenings and advocacy have a responsibility to contribute to a more diverse, connected, and inclusive community. The power of creativity inspires, innovates, and opens us to new perspectives of how we view ourselves, share ideas, and solve problems. The arts are essential to

June 29, 2022 In Advocacy, Art, Arts & economic development, Uncategorized

AEP6 Study Information & Advisory Committee

Johnson County Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6 The arts bring us inspiration and joy and make our community a beautiful place to live and work. Whether they’re located in a small or large town, nonprofit arts and culture organizations contribute to their communities’ quality of life, including their economic development. The nonprofit arts industry generates billions of dollars in economic activity and supports millions of jobs every year. In short, the arts mean business This year in partnership with ArtsKC, the Arts Council of Johnson County will participate in Americans for the Arts’ Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6 or AEP6.  Our

May 17, 2022 In Advocacy, Art, Arts & economic development, Engaging Community

Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study in Johnson County

CHANGE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ARTS The arts bring us inspiration and joy, and make our community a beautiful place to live and work. But the arts do so much more. We are excited to partner with Americans for the Arts to announce the launch of Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), the sixth national study of the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture industry. While the arts have the potential to impact many aspects of our community, the truth is they also have a power all on their own. The arts are an open invitation to engage in our history,

May 2, 2022 In Advocacy, Art, Arts Council

2022 KS Arts Councils Symposium Planning Committee

The Kansas Arts Councils Symposium brings together Arts Ambassadors around the state of Kansas to facilitate education, partnership, and celebration of the arts in our communities. The Symposium Planning Committee is comprised of arts professionals across the state of Kansas to coordinate and plan the Annual Kansas Arts Councils Symposium. The committee divides into four sub-committees which are Logistics, Sponsorship, Marketing, and Programming. We are excited to announce the committee members for this year's planning committee! The 2022 symposium will take place on Friday, September 30th. Kate AllenJohnson County Community CollegeOverland Park, KS Stacy Barnes547 Art CenterGreensburg, KS Lindsay BenackaDirector of Arts & Cultural

April 4, 2022 In Shooting Stars

2022 Shooting Stars Scholarship Recipients

Lilliana Hughey, 2022 Shooting Stars 2D Visual Arts 1st Place Scholarship Recipient Lilliana Hughey was nominated by Lori Ludwig and attends Olathe East High School. Noah Green, 2022 Shooting Stars 2d Visual Arts 2nd Place Scholarship Recipient Noah Green was nominated by Roger Messersmith and attends Olathe South High School. Maya Flynn, 2022 Shooting Stars 3D Visual Arts 1st Place Scholarship Recipient Maya Flynn, was nominated by Jennifer Hensley and attends Shawnee Mission East High School Kastin Galloway, 2022 Shooting Stars 3D Visual Arts 2nd Place Scholarship Recipient Kastin Galloway was nominated by Brad Reinking and attends Spring Hill High School Rachael Mallozzi, 2022 Shooting Stars Literature 1st

March 8, 2022 In Art, Arts in education, Shooting Stars

2023 Shooting Stars Judges

Ebonee Thomas, 2023 Shooting Stars Winds & Percussion Category Judge Ebonee Thomas is currently the Second Flute and Piccolo of The Dallas Opera. She has previously served as Principal Flute of the Knoxville Symphony, Principal Flute of the Florida Grand Opera, and Second Flute of the Houston Symphony. Ebonee spends her summers as a flutist with the Central City Opera in Colorado. She has also been guest principal with the Seattle Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and Santa Fe Opera. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Methodist University, her Master of Music degree from the New

December 3, 2021 In Shooting Stars

2022 Shooting Stars Finalists

The Arts make an important contribution to any community’s quality of life and are an essential part of every student’s educational experience, teaching 21st Century workplace skills, innovation, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and self-expression. The Shooting Stars Program celebrates young artists and arts educators for their artistic achievements with college scholarships, awards and honorariums. Since 1997, the Shooting Stars Program has recognized over 1,000 high school seniors for their artistic excellence and contributions to their community. Nine first place scholarships of $1,400 each, nine second place scholarships of $700 each and nine teacher honorariums* of $300 each will be awarded (*to the nominating teacher of

September 21, 2021 In Arts & Humanities, Arts in education

Recommended Reading List for Local History

Want to know more about the history of this region? Here is a short recommended reading list from the Johnson County Museum’s curator of interpretation, Andrew Gustafson. From the Border War to the postwar suburbs, these books will give you a deeper look at how Johnson County and the Kansas Cities developed. A Pictorial History of Johnson County, Kansas by Johnson County Museum (2006) This book is an excellent overview of Johnson County’s history, from prehistory through the early 2000s. If you want to get a sense of the place, the people, and the episodes of history that shaped Johnson County, this

May 6, 2021 In Artists, Veteran Art, Visual Arts

Lost in the Lines: Bryan Moore on Art and Healing

Bryan Moore said the first time he showed his psychotherapist his art, he was told to go to art therapy. Moore had served in the military’s special operations for 23 years, with seven combat tours. He said that since then, he’s experienced PTSD, depression, and suicidality. Art, he said, helps him cope. He uses graphite on vellum—a better, stronger alternative to paper that won’t tear under his sharp, precise pencil—to create highly detailed pieces, generally from photographs. Many of those pieces depict scenes from his combat experience. Moore’s work won the 2015 Veteran Creative Arts Festival, a competition he entered at the

April 27, 2021 In Shooting Stars, Visual Arts

2021 Shooting Stars Visual Arts Digital Exhibition Catalog

Below is the Digital Exhibition Catalog for the 2021 Shooting Stars Program. This Exhibition is virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was curated by the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. The Digital Exhibition Catalog features artwork of Finalists in the 3D Visual Art, 2D Visual Art, and Photography categories. Elementia Magazine Publication The Johnson County Public Library publishes an issue of their elementia magazine every year, created and curated by their Young Adult Selection Committee. Many of our 2021 Shooting Stars Finalists' work was included in this year's publication!