Cultural Crossroads is seeking corporate partnerships for Chickenstock – its annual spring arts festival at The Farm, located at 417 East Union Street.
The annual festival is slated for April 11-16, with Kids Day at The Farm set for April 11-15. Now celebrating its 21st year, the festival has provided the largest venue for showcasing children’s art in the area.
This year’s festival will see a different lineup of activities. Cancelling the talent search portion of the festivities allowed for an increase in the number of days where fourth grade students could participate in Kids Day at The Farm. This all-day, free day of the arts allows fourth graders to spend the day creating works of art with professional artists.
“It was a painful decision to cancel our talent search,” Melissa Downer, festival chair, said. “The board felt they could better use those funds to enhance the art experience for children through hands-on activities.”
This year’s Chickenstock will include a larger hands-on museum, more one-on-one with professional artists, more community art projects and more fine arts vendors. The festivities will include a petting zoo, face painting, community painting and musical vignettes scattered around the grounds.
“It will be a more intimate and personal experience,” Downer said. “We want people to experience the beauty and majesty of The Farm while watching their children delight in their creative expression and use of their imagination.”
The $20,000 budget for the festival is offset in part by grants from the Webster Parish Tourism Commission as well as the Louisiana Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, the Louisiana Division of the Arts and the Shreveport Arts Council.
“Our goal is to secure the additional $10,000 through corporate sponsorships,” Chris Broussard, Cultural Crossroads chairman of the board, said.
Packets outlining the organizational support needed for Webster Parish’s official arts agency were recently mailed to area businesses, corporations and individuals.
Any business, corporation or individual interested in becoming a corporate partner that did not receive a packet, may contact Broussard by email at ghostchicken54@gmail.com or Rachel Harrington by email at rlw1977@gmail.com.
Deadline for sponsorship is April 15.