Sangamon Auditorium honored at this year’s Illinois Alliance for Arts Education Service Awards Ceremony
Sangamon Auditorium was honored at this year’s Illinois Alliance for Arts Education Service Awards Ceremony on March 17, 2011.
The 2011 IAAE Service Recognition Awards Ceremony, held in Springfield at the Governor's Mansion, recognized 24 individuals and organizations for their part in promoting and supporting arts education in Illinois. Sangamon Auditorium was one of four recipients recognized in the Public/Community Service category. Robert Vaughn, director of Sangamon Auditorium, Carly Shank, director of audience development, and Amy Zepp, audience development assistant, were in attendance to receive the award.
Sangamon Auditorium was recognized for both long-standing as well as new initiatives related to arts education. Class Acts, the Auditorium’s school matinee series, welcomes 15,000 children annually to enjoy curriculum-based performances and lecture/demonstrations. Students come from 15 counties, roughly a 50-mile radius of Springfield, to participate in Class Acts. The series is celebrating its 25th anniversary season this year.
Through the Auditorium’s ClassPass program, school groups can purchase discounted tickets to weekend/evening events. This program enables K-12 teachers and their students to experience a wide variety of performing arts events. When possible, ancillary activities are built into the ClassPass program, including artist master classes, performing arts career information workshops, and cultural immersion activities.
Along with Springfield Public Schools, Sangamon Auditorium recently became one of fourteen new teams to offer professional development for K-12 teachers through the Kennedy Center’s Partners in Education program. Two workshops led by Kennedy Center workshop leaders have been held in the 2010-2011 school year, with a third workshop planned for May 10.
The Illinois Alliance for Arts Education is a non-profit organization of arts educators in dance, drama, music and visual art. Our mission is to ensure high quality arts education for all Illinois students, grades K-12.
As the only state alliance member of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN) in Illinois, the IAAE receives support from KCAAEN promotions, award recognition programs and professional development opportunities. In 2006 an Illinois school received the national Creative Ticket Award, in 2007and 2009 Illinois schools received the National School Boards Association award, and in 2010 an Illinois school received the National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award. The arts are alive in Illinois!
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