What's working: Adults only--Art Night 101

Chances are if you visit Cheraw on a Tuesday night, you might happen into a downtown restaurant where the paint, wine and friendship flows.  These are the three major ingredients that Executive Director Lindsay Bennett and others at the Cheraw Arts Commission are using to engage more people who want to make art (or who are curious about making art)  in this tiny historic town in Chesterfield County. With the help of local artists who create the theme for the evening (like the recent "Andy Warhol meets Monet")  and sit at tables to instruct and guide,  this new activity is bringing more people downtown and creating a way for Lindsay to build new relationships.

It's happening in a local restaurant that's closed on Tuesdays but willing to partner with the Cheraw Arts Commission in this venture.  This setting provides a comfortable, friendly and accessible space that is not intimidating to those who may have little art experience.

"Participants, some with painting experience and some who have never picked up a brush, are like sponges," she said, "absorbing every drop and wanting more."    Through this effort to create more arts participation among  Chesterfield County citizens, Lindsay is seeing participants become more engaged in the "art community" and anticipates this effort becoming a feeder for art classes, workshops and gallery exhibits.

What's working here?

• A partnership with a restaurant and with local artists who see mutual benefit in being part of this effort
• The practice of evaluating feedback to help plan future gatherings
• A venue that offers an easy way for people to "test" the arts and determine if they want more
• A new way to add more names to the roster of arts-inclined citizens in Chesterfield County  

The Cheraw Arts Commission is one of ten grantees currently participating in the Statewide Arts Participation Initiative.  "Everything we do now is about participation," Lindsay says.

 "Andy Warhol meets Monet"  These are the latest paintings from Art Night 101 which were incorporated in Cheraw's downtown Art Walkabout evening June 11. 

 

 

 Learn more about the Cheraw Arts Commission  and the town of Cheraw at http://www.visitcheraw.com/.

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