Quad City Arts’ Arts Dollar$: Community Access to the Arts is a program that for 30 years has provided funding for local artists and non-profit organizations to carry out high-quality community-based art projects.

Quad City Arts is pleased to announce the recipients of $30,010 regranted to 17 outstanding community arts projects.

Barbara Bianchi has been awarded $2,000 for the project BUILDING CHARACTER THROUGH FOUND OBJECT ART: A “CHARACTER COUNTS! THROUGH THE ARTS” ACTIVITY. Barbara will expand her professional development workshop for teachers, Building Character Through Found Object Art, from 3 hours to 15 hours, create marketing materials, and promote the workshop to area educators.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley has been awarded $1,620 for the project RECYCLED ART. Artist Heidi Moran-Sallows will run six sessions – three in the spring and three in the fall – where children in Big Brothers Big Sisters’ campus-based mentoring program will learn how to create pieces of art from found and recycled materials.

Joel Connell has been awarded $920 for the project COLORING BOOK CREATING WITH JOEL “CON” CONNELL. Joel will brainstorm ideas with schoolchildren, creating a 20 page coloring book by combining their suggestions and his illustrations, then printing and selling it locally.

Steve Couch has been awarded $2,000 for the project PERFORMING 10 “I LIKE TO READ SHOWS” IN AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. The “I Like to Read” Show is an interactive live performance by Steve Couch of original music that promotes good behavior to children ages 2 to 7 years.

Kara Fedje has been awarded $2,000 for the project ALTERNATIVE ART… CREATING ART FROM TRASH. She will teach fine art and art exhibition while using green art methods with teens-at-risk through the Black Hawk College Optional Education Program.

Great Sounds Promotions has been awarded $2,000 for the project BLACK HISTORY MONTH: YOUTH ON BROADWAY MUSICAL REVUE. Youth on Broadway will be a musical revue production that features works by and about black composers, artists and black experiences. The project strives to engage and involve and build pride in at-risk and inner-city young people, 95% of whom have African-American heritage, using the medium of theater. The project, coordinated by literary artist Gaye Burnett, culminates in 2 public performances at the close of Black History Month.

Horace Mann Choice School has been awarded $774.21 for the project STEP INTO SCHOOL!“Step Into School!” is designed to build a pathway from the students of Horace Mann Choice School to the new Villa site by creating mosaic pavers with artist Jeanne O’Melia.

J.B. Young Intermediate has been awarded $2,000 for the project STEEL BAND RHYTHMS. This project’s goal is to engage students at-risk and students of color at J.B. Young in Davenport in ongoing percussion-based musical learning and performance on steel drums under the direction of Brian Zeglis.

Carolyn Krueger has been awarded $2,000 for the project EXPRESSING YOURSELF THROUGH THE ARTS. Carolyn, artist and instructor, will guide Black Hawk College Optional Education at-risk youth through an exploration of the fundamental art forms of drawing, painting, clay, photography, collage and fabric design.

Longfellow Elementary has been awarded $1,700 for the project WATERCOLOR TECHNIQUES. 200 students enrolled at Longfellow Elementary School will be taught weekly art lessons by local artist, Andi Naab, on a rotating basis so that each class will receive one hour lesson per month, 4 lessons minimum per class during second semester 2008.

Courtney Lyon has been awarded $2,000 for the project NEW CHOREOGRAPHY FOR THE PRE-PROFESSIONAL DANCERS IN BALLET QUAD CITIES II. Courtney, co-director of Ballet Quad Cities II, will choreograph a new ballet specifically for the talented pre-professional dancers in BQC II. This new ballet will premiere at “Ballet Under the Stars” in June 2008.

Midwest Writing Center has been awarded $1,900 for the project POETRY FOR ALL AGES. Published poets Tracy White, Ryan Collins, Sarah Gardner, and Max Molleston will offer free poetry workshops for all age groups in the Quad City Arts service region at the Midwest Writing Center.

Moline Public Library has been awarded $1,700 for the project EL DIA DE LOS NIÑOS / EL DIA DE LOS LIBROS. The Moline & Rock Island Libraries will to host a joint celebration of El Dia de los Niños / El Dia de los Libros for the general public, targeting Hispanic and at-risk groups. Artistic personnel include visual artist Gloria Burlingame and Eulenspiegel puppet theatre company.

Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico has been awarded $1,660 for the project QUAD CITIES BALLET FOLKLORICO PRESENTS MEXICAN FIESTA 2008: a showcase of Mexican culture through music, dance, and education. Children and adults between the ages of 4 and 16 will take part in sharing their culture with the Quad Cities. Artistic personnel includes dance instructors Ashley and Raymond Terronnez.

Thurgood Marshall Learning Center has been awarded $2,000 for the project FINDING HEALTHY PASSIONS. The aim of this project is to encourage at-risk students to develop healthy interests through a nine-week arts class. Artistic personnel include visual artist Jeanne O’Melia, actress/director Angela Rathman, and blues musician Hal Reed.

Friends of VanderVeer has been awarded $2,000 for the project GARDEN OF OZ. VanderVeer Botanical Park partners with Kit Sayles to create mixed media displays that will recreate a “Garden of Oz” horticultural experience for the entire community.

WQPT, Quad Cities PBS has been awarded $1,736 for the project CURRENTS AT THE CROSSROADS. 10 episodes of a 30 minute television music program hosted by Ellis Kell, featuring performances at the River Music Experience Redstone Room; WQPT’s potential audience is 309,000 households in Iowa and Illinois.

Arts Dollar$ is made possible by support from the Illinois Arts Council, Doris and Victor Day Foundation, John Deere Foundation, and Mary Iva Gittens Knouse Charitable Trust.

Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to the growth and vitality of the Quad City region through the presentation, development, and celebration of the arts and humanities. All Quad City Arts programs are partially supported by Festival of Trees; Quad City Arts Partners; and operating grants from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; and the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.