20 Performance Groups Scheduled for 2012 Waco Cultural Arts Fest

The music line-up for the 2012 Waco Cultural Arts Fest to be held Sept. 22-23 is filled with 20 outstanding performing groups ranging from local students to nationally known professionals. 

On Sat. Sept. 22, the Indian Spring Park Amphitheatre will provide live entertainment from 11 am to 11 pm.  Concert goers will hear several orchestras, a Mariachi band, a Renaissance group, plus several bands playing original music in the genres of country, rock, bluegrass, and more. Several dance groups will dazzle the audience with colorful costumes, precision dancing, and expressive movements.  

Sunday from noon to 5 pm the main stage will include performances of children’s theatre, world music, percussion ensembles, a vocalist, and a Latin traditional band.

There are almost 5 months left to get ready for this year’s festival.  During this time, I’ll be writing blogs about most of the 20 music groups scheduled for the event so you’ll be anticipating the performances even more.  The names of the performers will be revealed gradually. I’m very excited about every group that has agreed to perform!

$15,000 NEA Grant Awarded for Doris Miller Memorial

The National Endowment for the Arts recently awarded the Waco Cultural Arts Fest (aka Cultural Arts of Waco) a $15,000.00 grant to support the commissioning and installation of a public art sculpture of Doris Miller in Bledsoe-Miller Park in Waco. 

The NEA reviews thousands of grant applications every year in all areas of art.  A giant thank you goes to WCAF president Doreen Ravenscroft who spends hours researching and writing grant applications such as this NEA Grant that promotes art in Waco.  About 50 visual arts grants have been awarded by NEA in 2012.  WCAF is honored to have received one.

The Doris Miller Memorial sculpture will honor Waco resident and World War II serviceman Doris Miller (1919-43), the first African American to be awarded the Navy Cross for heroism. The figurative bronze sculpture and historical reliefs will be created by sculptor Eddie Dixon (b. 1950) and the site design will be developed by architect Stan Carroll. The site overlooks the Brazos River across the river from Indian Spring Park where the annual Waco Cultural Arts Fest is held.

What is the NEA?

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. 

$25K Grant Awarded to WCAF

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 was a joyful day for the Waco Cultural Arts Fest (WCAF)!  The Waco City Council agreed to provide $25,000 in funding to WCAF.  Each year $150,000 hotel/motel tax is set aside for Waco arts organizations. This is WCAF's first time to receive part of the money from the hotel/motel tax monies thanks to the persistent work of the festival's founder and president Doreen Ravenscroft and her volunteers.

The City funding has stipulations for its use.  WCAF will use the money to help advertize the festival to a wider area including the Dallas and Austin markets.  It will also be used  to help bring in top quality musical acts.

The Waco Cultural Arts Fest provided free entertainment and art experiences for all ages for about 18,000 people last Sept. 2011. Visitors were also able to buy quality art work from juried professional art vendors.

Dates for the 2012 Festival in Indian Spring Park are September 21-23.

Future blogs will tell about new events and activities in 2012.