The Arts in Lakeland

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Day of Family Fun on September 19

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:50:45 +0000

There are two great, family-oriented events taking place next Saturday, and you should make plans to attend at least one of them — preferably both!

The first one is Polk Museum of Art’s annual Family Day. The fun runs from 11am - 3pm, with the theme of “Going Green.” Art activities and projects will be eco-friendly, and several of the entertainers have gotten into the spirit as well. The always popular Luis Campaneria will perform a recycled magic show, and Didgeridoo Down Under will play on instruments made from old PVC pipes. But the best part of the event is that more than 350 bags of art supplies will be given away to school age children! The entire event is FREE so you have no excuse for not attending.

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The second one, and, truthfully, the one I’m most looking forward to since I don’t have kids and it’s featuring my favorite all-time movie, is Florida Dance Theatre’s and Polk Theatre’s joint screening of “Grease.” If that wasn’t fun enough, they’re making it a sing-along event, complete with dancers on the stage while the movie is running. Think “Rocky Horror Picture Show” but child-friendly. The movie starts at 6 and you’re encouraged to dress in your 1950s finest. There’s even a Sock Hop on the stage prior to the movie. Tickets are only $10 each ($8 for kids under 12).

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It’s going to be a fun day! I hope to see you out there.

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Day of Family Fun on September 19

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Art-i-Facts is Back!

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:38:43 +0000

If it seemed like I was a little quiet this summer, it’s because the arts scene was a little quiet this summer. And without a summer issue of Art-i-Facts, along with the recent changes at the Polk Arts Alliance, it was hard for me to keep up with everything. But the good news is that the Fall issue of Art-i-Facts has hit the streets, and it’s a good one. The center spread lists the full season calendar for most of Polk County’s art organizations, and I know for a fact that there are many events or performances that didn’t make the deadline.

So stop by one of your favorite arts organizations to pick up a copy. It’s free! I have my copy!

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Art-i-Facts is Back!

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - PMoA Receives $50,000 Economic Stimulus Grant

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:46:03 +0000

Polk Museum of Art is pleased to announce that it will be receiving an NEA Recovery Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced direct grants to 631 nonprofit arts groups, totaling $29.775 million as part of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Polk Museum of Art will receive $50,000 to be used toward retention and employment of outreach teachers and guest artists during this economic downturn.

Polk Museum of Art is one of only 3 museums in the state, and one of only 14 arts organizations in Florida to receive one of these grants from the NEA. The one-time NEA grants were awarded on a competitive basis, and only organizations that had received an NEA grant in the past four years were eligible to apply.

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as PMoA Receives $50,000 Economic Stimulus Grant

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Photos from July SummerJamz at Polk Theatre

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:15:48 +0000

Friday night I went to SummerJamz #2 at Polk Theatre, a joint venture between Florida Dance Theatre and Polk Theatre. It was a great show, but I was disappointed by the low turnout. Maybe it’s just because it’s the summer and people are out of town. I’ll do a better job of reminding everyone about the one coming up on August 14. In the meantime, here are a couple of photos. Please forgive me for their bad quality. I took them with my cell phone:

Backseat Cat Productions

Sun of Sam

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Photos from July SummerJamz at Polk Theatre

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Artist Coming to PMoA’s Exhibition Reception

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:40:18 +0000

Carol Prusa at work in her studio.

Wow. If there’s one thing you can say about the summer — other than that it’s REALLY hot — it’s that the local arts organizations really cut back on their schedules. Other than summer camps… But, there are two things coming up very soon that are worthy of note. I’ll write about one here, and the second one in another poster later.

I hope you’ve been over to PMoA to see the new exhibitions. One of them, Silver Linings: Delicate Drawings by Carol Prusa is really captivating. (I even asked the Curator how much one of the smaller ones cost. Let’s just say it’s not in my budget.) And, lucky for Lakeland, the artist will be here for the reception on July 24 at 5:30pm.

She’ll be talking about her work and her influences, which, if you’re a bit of a nerdy geek like me, you’ll find super exciting: theoretical, astro, and quantum physics; cellular biology; medical illustrations; and philosphy, for example.

The lecture starts at 6:00pm and the cost to attend the lecture and reception is $10. If you’re a Museum member, it’s free.

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Artist Coming to PMoA’s Exhibition Reception

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Three Lakeland Arts Orgs Nominated for Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick Awards

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:03:35 +0000

I recently found out that Polk Museum of Art had been nominated for the Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick Awards, and while I was doing research to find out exactly which categories the Museum was in, I discovered that two other Lakeland arts organizations have also been nominated for the Tampa area: Explorations V Childrens’ Museum and Florida Dance Theatre. PMoA and Explorations V are both up for votes in the Best Art Class and Best Museum categories. FDT is under Best Dance Class.

Everyone who reads this site should go immediately to ParentsConnect.com and vote for our Polk County treasures! (Of course, I’m a little biased and hope you vote for PMoA…) Then tell your friends and family and business contacts to do the same. We are sorely behind the Tampa arts orgs, but just as deserving. You can vote once a day, every day, until July 15. Winners are announced in August.

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Three Lakeland Arts Orgs Nominated for Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick Awards

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Studio 305 Presents Second Theatrical Production

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:00:10 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Studio 305, the new theater group operating out of Florida Dance Theatre on Main Street. I went to one of the performances of A Zoo Story, and I was really impressed. The story was enthralling and well presented. I’m not a good judge of stage acting since I’ve not been to a lot of theatre, so I can’t really comment on that part. On the whole, though, I left glad that I had come.

So now I’m happy to hear about their next production, two one act plays by James McClure: Laundry & Bourbon and Lone Star. Rocky Encalada, who directs the Studio 305 productions, told me that essentially you’ll be seeing the same story told from two points of view — that of a Vietnam soldier and of his wife as they discuss a situation with their friends. Sounds intriguing…

You can see it next weekend, June 19 - 21, at FDT. Times are 7:30pm Friday and Saturday, and 2:30pm Sunday. Tickets are $10 each. Rocky warns that this play contains adult content and language, so it might not be a good idea to bring the kiddies. Tell her that you heard about it here!

Laundry and Bourbon and Lone Star -- poster

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Studio 305 Presents Second Theatrical Production

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Art-O-Mat at PMoA

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:36:37 +0000

Today’s short but sweet post: Polk Museum of Art has a fun new “toy” in its lobby. It’s an Art-O-Mat — an old cigarette machine that has been refurbished to dispense original pieces of art for $5 each (+tax).

PMoA's Art-O-Mat

Clark Whittington, the founder of Art-O-Mat will be at the Museum on Saturday, June 27, to talk about the machines and how artists can have their work sold in them. That talk/presentation starts at 10:30 and is free with museum admission. I’ve heard that Clark is pretty entertaining to listen to.

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Art-O-Mat at PMoA

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Summer Themed Sidewalk Art Competition at First Friday

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:04:49 +0000

Just for the fun of it, Polk Museum of Art has gotten together with Explorations V and the Downtown Lakeland Partnership to create lots of fun stuff for First Friday (this Friday, the 5th!). One of the highlights is the sidewalk art contest for teens and adults that PMoA is hosting on the South Kentucky block (between Main and Lemon).

No artistic skill is necessary, no entry fee is required, and heck, they even provide the chalk. The winner will be determined by who creates the best interpretation of the theme “School’s Out for the Summer” — which, happily, is also the theme for this month’s First Friday! The winner will receive an as yet unknown number of Downtown Dollars that they can then freely spend at any downtown establishment.

If that’s not your cup of tea, there will also be a Summer Attire Contest, hula hoop contests (for kids and adults), a water-gun shoot-out for kids, bubble blowing, and a community art project — not to mention lots of entertainment. I’ll be out there in the PMoA section with my camera. I hope I see you there!

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Summer Themed Sidewalk Art Competition at First Friday

Arts.LakelandLocal.com - Studio 305 Opens With “Edgy” New Theatre Productions

Meredith Spresser - Arts.LakelandLocal.com — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:32:43 +0000

There’s a new theatre company in town that’s operating a little under the radar right now, but hopes to grow into something larger. Studio 305 is a outgrowth of Florida Dance Theatre that intends to produce edgy, raw, sometimes controversial theatre pieces that give our local, talented actors a place to really stretch their talents.

I found out about the group through my involvement with Florida Dance Theatre and I just got off the phone with Rocky Encalada, one of the founders. She was telling me that the concept for the group came out of a conversation with Freddie De Jesus, the Resident Choreographer for FDT. Both of them come from large cities where stark, emotional drama is readily available, and they missed that around here.

They have planned at least three performances for this summer, including the one that runs this weekend: The Zoo Story by Edward Albee. According to the press release, “This classic piece of American theatre tells a tale of isolation and loneliness that drives two men into emotional and psychological combat one Sunday afternoon in New York’s Central Park.” Sounds intriguing.

Performances are at Florida Dance Theatre’s studio at 305 West Main Street, tonight (May 29) and Saturday at 7:30, and Sunday at 2:30. Tickets are $10 each. Here’s the poster. Call Rocky at 327-6788 for more info.

Zoo Story poster

Post from: The Arts in Lakeland

Originally Published as Studio 305 Opens With “Edgy” New Theatre Productions