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Student Gallery showcases student art at the Farm

by Amber McDown

The Farm of Cultural Crossroads will be hosting an event, titled the Student Gallery, on September 24 to showcase the artwork of students in the Art at the Farm class. 

Art classes have been available to paying students at the Farm for a while. This year, however, Executive Director Brandi Cade was able to obtain a grant that paid for scholarships for students who were interested but unable to pay for art classes.

“Art at The Farm is our newest program that is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, as administered by Shreveport Regional Arts Council,” said Cade. “Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.”

“This grant funding allowed us to offer seats in Jennifer Heard’s weekly art classes to individuals from low-income households at no cost to them, by compensating Ms. Heard for her time instructing the classes, purchasing the materials needed, and producing this Student Gallery at the end of the grant period,” Cade continued. 

This grant has not only allowed people of all ages to participate in formal art lessons, it has also allowed people of different backgrounds to interact and get to know one another better, which is one of the foundational ideas behind the Farm.

“The student body of Art at The Farm is comprised of those who qualified for a spot funded by the grant and those who are established, paying students of Ms. Heard,” said Cade. “The age range for students is 5-80 years old. Having both paying and non-paying students learning beside each other provides an opportunity for these individuals to positively engage with one another, develop an understanding and respect for people from different walks of life, and, hopefully, form friendships based on a common interest: Art. This helps us to fulfill our organization’s mission, which is ‘to unite ALL people through the Arts.’”

While this Student Gallery will be wrapping up the Art at the Farm grant money for the year, Cade has applied for another grant for next year. She is still awaiting an answer. Should they be approved for another such grant, they will reopen enrollment on their website: CulturalCrossroadsOfMinden.org.

“We encourage the community to join us in celebrating the hard work and progress of these artists,” said Cade. The Student Gallery will be shown in the studio of the Farm, which is located at 419 East Union Street, on September 24 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. 

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