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. Charles McCormick, the planning committee is made up of two groups, Kaneland District faculty members and Kaneland Community members.
Supertendent of Schools
Dr. Charles McCormick
Executive Director
Maria Dripps-Paulson
Faculty Co-Chairs
Kara Berth
Colleen Grigg
Diane McFarlin
Bonnie Whildin
Faculty Planning Committee
Laurel Anderson
Brandon Fox
Heidi Gilkey
Lori Grant
Diane Kowalski
Nicole Larsen
Erin Livermore
Kimberly Nelson
Nika Plattos
Aaron Puckett
Emily VanDelinder
Carleen Wieg
Community Planning Committee
Deanna Cates
Mary Coffey
Heidi Espino
Steve Good
Lisa LeMaire
Cornelius Marr
Lisa Molitor
Joann Murdock
Lori Poczekaj
Don Spence
Laura Van Gemert
What's New to the Festival?
The Juried Art Show is Back!
Back for a second year, is the Juried Art Show! The new componant of the Juried Art Show is the location. This fall, the Sugar Grove Library opened a beautiful new building and has generously agreed to host the Juried Art Show. Artists are invited to enter all 2D and 3D media artworks including painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, mixed media, fiber art, clay, glass, jewelry and sculpture into the Juried Art Show. Artists will compete for cash prizes.
The Festival Performance Series
A new and exciting addition to the KCFAF is the Festival Performance Series. Designed to bring full length quality performances to the Kaneland Community, the Festival Performance Series will showcase artists at the Kaneland High School Auditorium in September 2009, January 2010, and July 2010.
The Pre-K Area
We are also pleased to announce that we will have a special area at the Festival specifically for pre-school aged children, from infants to 4 years old. There will be an arts area and a music/movement area provided from 11 am - 1 pm and again, 3 - 5pm on the day of the festival.
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 I Every year, the IAAErecognizes various individuals and orgnizations throughout Illinois for their dedicated service or promotion of arts in Illinois schools. In 2007, the Festival was awarded the by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA).
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, April 18, 2010 and at our other Festival Events!
