November 2024 Newsletter
"Majestic Beachscape" by Sally Booth
From the 2024 Bath County Arts Show
What's New at BCAA
Supporting the Arts in Bath County Since 1965
From the President
Happiest of Holidays to you all. This has been a banner year for BCAA in so many ways. Your generosity and support have enabled us to do more than ever before in terms of grants, programs, and events.
Take a peek below at ‘what’s on’ for November and December. And don’t forget that you can gift someone dear with an honorary or memorial tribute to BCAA.
As always, if you’ve got a great idea for a program or workshop, let us know! Wishing you joy and gratitude this season.
Leigh Johnson
Calendar of Events
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2024
Christmas With Santa. (Location: Bath County High School). 3:00 pm for free cookies and hot cocoa; the show begins at 4:00 pm.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025
The Velveteen Rabbit by the Bright Star Theatre Company
JUNE 16-21, 2024
Missoula Children's Theatre Bath County Residency Week
What's Happening in Education
Christmas With Santa
Saturday, December 7th, 4 PM
Bath County High School Auditorium
Mark your calendars for BCAA's highly anticipated annual holiday show, "Christmas with Santa," presented by Bright Star Touring Theatre! Join us on December 7th at 4 p.m. at Bath County High School for an unforgettable, heartwarming performance that the whole family will love. Best of all, this magical event is free and open to everyone! We're also kicking off the holiday cheer early -- come enjoy free cookies and hot cocoa starting at 3 p.m. at the high school before the show. It's a festive treat you won't want to miss! This special performance is our way of saying "thank you" to the community -- come celebrate with us! We can't wait to see you there and share the joy of the season together.
Christmas Mother Program
The Bath County High School carpentry class has been busy designing and constructing items for the Bath County Christmas Mother program that serves individuals and families with limited income by providing food, clothing and Christmas gifts. The wooden handmade gifts include bird houses, puzzles, spice racks, welcome signs, shelves with coat hooks and more.
FrankenSTEM
FrankenSTEM, the first of two Bright Star Touring Theatre performances, occurred on Tuesday, November 5 at Valley Elementary School in the morning and Millboro Elementary School in the afternoon. Dr. FrankenSTEM and his trusty assistant, Igor, with the help of students, create and bring to life a monster using science, technology, engineering and math, but ART is not forgotten, and STEM becomes STEAM! A perfectly not-so-spooky fall program!
The Velveteen Rabbit will be performed at each elementary school on February 21, 2025.
Family Fun Night
A Family Fun Night was held at Valley Elementary School on Wednesday, November 13. More than 70 parents and children gathered to paint together.
Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT)
The 2025 Summer Tour has been finalized. The MCT "little red truck" and an actor/director team will arrive in Bath County on Sunday, June 15, and a week's residence will begin on Monday, June 16, culminating with two public performances of The Snow Queen on Saturday, June 21. With 50-60 roles available, students entering grades 1-12 are eligible to be a part of this production. Participation is FREE, and no advanced preparation or theatre experience is necessary. Students should just be ready to come to this summer enrichment opportunity and have a good time!
Focus on Community Grants
The Community Grants program plays a pivotal role in supporting local artists and community organizations dedicated to enriching the cultural landscape of Bath County. In 2024 alone, we awarded nearly $40,000 in grants to the community, empowering various creative projects, workshops, art supplies, and vibrant community events.
The BCAA Community Grants program is gearing up with more funding available for 2025. Eligible applicants include individual artists, nonprofit organizations, and community groups based in Bath County.
Community Grants are available in two formats:
Primary Grants are reserved for larger applications with requests over $1,500 to as much as $10,000 annually. Applications are available on the website; the first phase is currently open, with a deadline of December 15, 2024. The second and final opportunity will close on April 30, 2025. It is important to note that primary grants are only offered twice a year.
Rolling Grants are available year-round, for requests of $250-$1,500.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit the BCAA website at https://www.bathcountyarts.org/community-grants for applications and to learn more about the eligibility and selection criteria, or contact: Kit Burnett at grants@bathcountyarts.org.
Join us in celebrating the arts and empowering creativity in Bath County!
Speaker Series
Sarah Gibson Wiley, Textile Artist
BCAA’s Speaker Series continues to bring engaging, inspiring, and thought-provoking events to our community. On September 29th, we were thrilled to host Sarah Gibson Wiley, a nationally acclaimed textile artist, who shared her fascinating artistic journey. The audience was captivated as Sarah walked us through her creative process and showcased her stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces—everything from family portraits to pet likenesses and intricate depictions of homes and special places, all in her signature style!
Then, on November 3rd, we welcomed the talented Cathy Purple Cherry of Purple Cherry Architects, who gave us an insider’s look into the world of architecture and design. Cathy shared highlights from her acclaimed book, The Design of a Country Estate, and offered invaluable insights into the process of designing both new homes and renovations. It was a truly educational and inspiring evening for everyone in attendance!
We're lining up more exciting speakers, so stay tuned for upcoming events -- and we'd love to hear from you if you have any suggestions for future speakers! Your input is always welcome!
Artist Spotlight — Cleveland Morris
Cleveland has had two equally fulfilling careers in the arts. His first quarter century of professional life was spent in the theatre, primarily as a play director. His work was seen on regional, New York, and international stages. He taught acting at leading colleges and universities, as well as at the renowned Stella Adler Conservatory in New York. In 1978, he co-founded the Delaware Theatre Company (now in its 45th Season), where he remained Artistic Director for its first twenty years.
In his second career as a still-life painter, he has had 37 solo exhibitions in the past 25 years and has participated in over 45 group shows. His paintings have won numerous awards and have found their way into major collections. He has taught drawing at Southern Virginia University, Stuart Hall School, the Academy Center for the Arts, and the Beverley Street Studio School in Staunton, VA, where he also developed and led four tours to Sicily and three to Naples and the Amalfi Coast.
Cleveland is a native of Wilmington, DE, and is a graduate of Yale University, the University of Manchester, and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His article, “The Joys of Travel Sketching,” appeared in the Summer, 2016 issue of Drawing. He has lived in Staunton, Va since 2000. For more about Cleveland: www.clevelandmorris.com.
As always, we are excited to support the ARTS in Bath County through your advocacy and generosity. Have a question or a great idea? Email me: president@bathcountyarts.org
All the best -- Leigh Johnson, President BCAA
