What is the Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival?

The School - Community Connection

Each year, Kaneland CUSD #302 Fine Arts programs reach 4,600 youth in grades K-12 through the leadership of over 25 certified teachers and support staff and their classrooms, with the continual support of committed parents and community members.

The KCFAF is successful only due to the members of the planning committee. Supported by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jeff Schuler, the planning committee is made up of two groups, Kaneland District faculty members and Kaneland Community members.

Supertendent of Schools

Dr. Jeff Schuler

Executive Director

Maria Dripps-Paulson

Technical Theatre Director

Chad Carlson

Theatre Advisor

Diane McFarlin

Contract Manager & Faculty Liaison

Heidi Gilkey

Volunteer Coordinator

Laura McPhee

Planning Committee Members

Laura Baker

Deanna Cates

Mary Coffey

Lori Grant

Colleen Grigg

Heidi Gilkey

Tom Kirkland

Val Massa

Sara Mitchinson

Joann Murdock

A Festival For ALL

Festival History

In 1998, the Kaneland School District conceived and presented its first Fine Arts Festival, a celebration of the arts which strives to encourage young peoples involvement in artistic endeavors and to challenge them to develop their abilities. The Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival (KCFAF) is one of just a handful of public school art festivals in the State of Illinois. The event combines student and professional visual artists, hands-on workshops, and professional performing artists and groups. The festival annually draws approximately 3,000 students, families, and community members for a day of culture and fun.

Mission

We believe in encouraging young peoples involvement in artistic endeavors and challenging them to develop their abilities.

Our Goals

•Bring professional artists to the Festival in order to expose our communities to the fine arts

•Stimulate higher quality art education in our schools

•Inspire fine art educators to promote, plan, and host an annual fine arts festival

•Act as a means for students and their families to come to a better understanding and appreciation of a fine arts education

•Encourage local business to provide financial support for the arts in the communities

So much more than just a one-day event! For weeks and months ahead of the main event, the Kaneland faculty and Artists-in-Residence work with K-12 students for hands-on learning in visual arts, poetry and literary arts, music, dance, and theater. The culminating event is a free of charge, one-day festival, completely open to the public.

The Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival is funded by grants from the Kaneland Foundation, the Dunham Fund, Kaneland Parent Teacher Associations, the Illinois Arts Council, and through donations from local corporations and individuals.

Recently, the KCFAF was awarded the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education (IAAE) 2010 Public and Community Service Award. Every year, the IAAE recognizes various individuals and orgnizations throughout Illinois for their dedicated service or promotion of arts in Illinois schools. In 2007, the Festival was awarded the Distinguished Service Award of Merit by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA).

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, April 21, 2013 and at our other Festival Events!