As the school year begins, Homer Council on the Arts is excited to announce our 2013-2014 youth art and theater programs — all made possible by the support of our generous grantors. 

 A three-year project grant from Alaska State Council on the Arts has made possible a year-round youth/teen theater program in collaboration with Pier One Theatre. Now in its fourth season, TheatreShakes starts Sept. 5, helping beginners as well as more experienced young actors develop theatre skills. This year’s production will be “The Taming of the Shrew.” Our Youth/Teen Musical Theatre program, in its third season, will start in December with emphasis on collaboration and creativity. Previous performances include “Andy and Honk! The Musical,” and this year the students will create an original production. They will write the script and lyrics and help with production, choreography, and composition of the musical score.  

Year after year, The Homer Foundation has been a key supporter of arts programs for our young people. During 2013-2014, funding from the foundation will support HCOA’s youth theatre programs, as well as ArtQuest, our after-school visual arts program. This year, we are offering two classes a week for students age 10 and older. Monday classes will be in in two-dimensional art and Wednesdays in three-dimensional.

ConocoPhillips has provided additional support for ArtQuest. Their grant for this school year makes it possible for HCOA to offer financial assistance to families so that every interested child is able to participate in ArtQuest. 

 HCOA’s mission is to provide opportunities for everyone in our community to experience and participate in the arts. We are grateful to organizations that make our mission possible by supporting our programs with grants. We are grateful to the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the city of Homer who make our mission possible by supporting our general operations. And we are grateful to our individual and business members and sponsors, who are Homer Council on the Arts. 

Gail Edgerly, executive director

Homer Council on the Arts