 Delta Art Alliance charts phenomenal growth
MISSISSIPPI DELTA - Six years ago a small after school program in Ruleville Central Elementary School introduced 20 young students to the arts.
Today the Delta Arts Alliance has expanded its Arts From the Ellis to AFTER Schools in the Mississippi Delta and expects to serve 2,500 youngsters in Bolivar, Coahoma, Sunflower, and Tallahatchie counties.
“Years ago budget cuts in public school education mandated severe cutbacks in art programs,” says Lenagene Waldrup, coordinator of the Delta Arts Alliance.
Waldrup, who was recognized this spring with the Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence in the Arts and Humanities award, says DAA adopted a
mission to provide art experiences for children and started with a small pilot project in Ruleville.
Helping her kick off the program were assistant teachers.
The next year Hurricane Katrina transported New Orleans artist Sarah Deason to the Delta with experience in after school art programs, and the project expanded into Benoit, Rosedale, Drew, Ruleville, Mound Bayou, and Shaw schools serving 145 students.
More than 500 students in additional schools participated the following year with artists-in-residence adding art experiences in visual art, music and dance.
“Since rural children do not have transportation, we asked school superintendents to allow artists to come to the schools during the regular school day,” explains Waldrup.
“They agreed, and now principals say children don’t want to miss school on ‘art days,’ she continued.
Waldrup said Kings Daughters and Sons Circle Two assisted with funding for three years.
When the program grew into East and West Tallahatchie counties through financial support from the Rock River Foundation, more than 1,000 in 13 school districts took part, she says.
Last year a $95,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement spearheaded by U.S. Senator Thad Cochran skyrocketed enrollment to 2,000 students.
Included were first graders in Coahoma County’s Jonestown, Lyon, Friars Point, and Sherard Elementary Schools and Moorhead, Inverness, and East Sunflower Elementary Schools in Sunflower county.
She anticipates more than 2,500 children participating this year.
Added are students at Hayes Cooper in Merigold and the Robinson Achievement Center in Cleveland.
DAA artists in residence from Clarksdale include Henry Dorsey, Greg Birdsong, Patrick Walker, Travis Calvin, and Lakeidra Smith.
A Mississippi Delta native, Waldrup is a veteran educator who served as Tech Prep coordinator at Coahoma Community College for seven years.
“I loved every minute of it,” says the DAA coordinator.
She emphasizes that DAA serves as a bridge connecting diverse cultures and promotes the arts as prominent part of daily lives.
A DAA membership drive is scheduled at the Ellis Theatre at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.
“We are inviting members and prospective members to attend,” says Waldrup. “This is an opportunity for everyone to view the restoration of the Ellis Theatre.
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