Cultural Crossroads is gearing up for its annual Spring Arts Festival and is seeking corporate partners to help make this year’s “ChickenStock” a success.
This year’s festival is scheduled for the week of April 20-25, with sponsorship deadline set for Wednesday, April 15. Now celebrating its 21st year, the festival has provided the largest venue in the area for showcasing art to children, says Chris Broussard, chairman of the board of Cultural Crossroads.
Different this year, she adds, is cancelling the talent search portion of the festivities. It has allowed for the increase in the number of days fourth graders can participate in “Kids Day at The Farm.”
“It was a painful decision to cancel our talent search,” Melissa Downer, festival chairperson, said. “The board felt they could better use those funds to enhance the art experience for children through hands-on art activities.”
The all-day, free event of the arts allows fourth graders to spend the day creating works of art with professional artists.
“ChickenStock” will include a larger hands-on museum, Broussard says, 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 designs 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.”
Broussard says the $20,000 budget for the festival is offset in part by grants from the Webster Parish Tourism Office 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,” Broussard said.
Packets outlining the organizational support needed for Webster Parish’s official arts agency were mailed last week to area businesses, corporations and individuals.
Any business, corporation or individual interested in becoming a corporate partner that did not receive a packet can contact Broussard by email at ghostchicken54@gmail.com or Rachel Harrington at rlw1977@gmail.com. For more information about the organization, go to their website at www.artsinminden.com.