The Educational Outreach Program is clearly what APAG is all about. It is the means by which we “give back” to an important segment of our community.
Since its inception, a little more than four years ago, APAG’S guest artists have participated in more than 26 workshops, master classes, and performances in numerous middle schools, high schools, and at the USC-Aiken. In addition to and extensive program of workshops provided to City County students, a special effort has been made to deliver outreach programming to schools in more rural areas of Aiken County including Graniteville, Jackson, Wagener and Ridge Spring/Monetta to mention just a few. Guest artists have also performed at retirement/assisted living facilities and at the Veterans’ Administration Hospital in Augusta, Georgia.
Where we concentrate
APAG concentrates their outreach efforts on the Sixth Grade level and higher. The decision to focus at this level is based on the substantially reduced amount of public funding made available to support the cultural and performing arts activities for both middle school and high school students. APAG has purposely focused a significant amount of its outreach programming towards “underserved” communities and students with little opportunity to be exposed to the high level of talent displayed by our guest artists.
The focus on the smaller communities of Aiken County recognizes the fact that these rural schools and their student bodies have historically been “under-served” in the educational outreach programs that that have been available in our region. By sending our guest artists to these communities, APAG has presented cultural opportunities to children who might never, in their wildest dreams, have been challenged by the beauty and excellence that only a highly skilled professional performing artist can bring to them.
A Typical Outreach Event
Had you been riding with us on the Outreach Bus during the past eighteen months, you would have seen the APAG Educational Outreach programs at work, including:
A four day string residency at Schofield Middle School, Aiken, by the Juilliard String Quartet that culminated on the fifth day at a classical string concert with the Julliard String Quartet sitting among, and playing with, the Schofield student musicians.
The Synergy Brass Quintet, playing at the Cumberland Village Retirement/Assisted Living Facility, leading a line of singing and strutting residents off to lunch as they played “When the Saints Came Marching In.”
Frank Ferraro as Groucho Marx in a “one on one” session with USC-A theatre students on the finer points of performing comedy.
The Paul Taylor Dancers conducting a Bodies-in-Motion” class on the main floor of the USC-A Convocation Center for members of the USCA Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Tennis varsity teams.
Dave Bennett’s “Tribute to Benny Goodman” orchestra serenading forty soldiers recovering from wounds received in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Julliard Jazz Orchestra playing for non-ambulatory wounded patients at the Veterans’ Administration Hospital in Augusta.
And that’s just the tip of the outreach iceberg!!
APAG has grown to become one of the largest providers of performance based educational programs in the Midlands of South Carolina. We estimate that than more than1,500 young people throughout Aiken County have been touched by the APAG Educational Outreach experience. At this writing APAG has currently scheduled eight educational programs for the 2009/2010 season, with more to come as the season gets underway. If you think that you might enjoy spending a day “on the road” with our outreaching artists, whether you are a sponsor, a season ticket subscriber or you would just like to help out, give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you...there’s always room for one more on the bus!!
