"Her Voice/Their Voices"
Poetry Reading and Reunion

May 13

7p.m. in the Gallery
"Her Voice/Their Voices" Poetry Reading and Reunion

Student mentors of poet Elizabeth Schultz read on the occasion of the publication of her new book "Her Voice". Denise Low, Caryn Mirriam Goldberg, Mary Wharff, Steve Bunch, Jim Bogan, and Cyrus Console are former students of University of Kansas English Professor Emerita Elizabeth Schultz. They were also poets long before she was. She thus claims all of these well-known and well published poets and former students as her mentors. To launch her new book of poetry, "Her Voice" (Woodley Memorial Press), Beth has organized a reunion reading with them in the gallery at the Lawrence Arts Center. The event will be sponsored by the Lawrence Arts Center's Committee on Imagination & Place, the KU English Department, and the Raven Bookstore. Copies of all of the poets' books will be available for sale at the reading.

Denise Low is Kansas' second Poet Laureate and the author of numerous books, including Tulip Elegies, Thailand Journal, and Words of a Prairie Alchemist. Caryn Mirriam Goldberg has published two books of poetry -- "Lot's Wife" and "Animals in the House" -- as well as several highly praised books on writing. Mary Wharff, who won the Langston Hughes Creative Writing Award for Fiction in 2006, writes both poetry and short fiction and has published in numerous journals. Steve Bunch, who won the Langston Hughes Creative Writing Award for Poetry in 2008, was the editor of a long-time Lawrence poetry journal, Tellus. Jim Bogan holds a distinguished teaching chair at the University of Missouri-Rolla, has produced several films on art and culture, and written Ozark Meandering and Trees in the Same Forest. Cyrus Console, presently working on a Ph.D. in KU's English Department, published his first book of poems, Brief Under Water, last year. Beth Schultz, who retired from teaching in KU's English Department in 2001 and who has recently retired from writing academic prose, writes poetry and nature essays, having published Shoreline: Seasons at the Lake and Conversations: Art Into Poetry at the Spencer Art Museum. This event is free and open to the public.

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In The Galleries...

Current - May 9

Lawrence Public Schools Art Students Exhibition

May 14 - June 20

"Short Stories" New Work by Dave Loewenstein (above) Reception: May 16, 7 - 10pm Artist's Talk: June 3, 7 - 9pm

"Unsung" Artists Under Thirty Curated by Molly Murphy and featuring Glen Mies, Betsy Timmer, Juniper Tangpuz, Jeremy Rockwell, Josh Adams and Molly Murphy Reception: May 16, 7 - 11pm Gallery Panel: May 20, 7 - 9pm (Unsung Artists facilitated by Dave Loewenstein and Molly Murphy) Gallery Panel: May 27, 7-9pm (Developing the Arts Community for Young Artists facilitated by Rick Mitchell, LAC Gallery Director) Video Artists Night: June 10, 6 - 8:30pm

June 25 - July 27

Lawrence Arts Center Artists-in-Residence Exhibition featuring Jennifer Holt (Ceramics) and Brian Stuparyk (Prints)

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Artists' Community Meeting
To Discuss the Lawrence Art Auction

Everyone interested in the Art Auction is invited to attend a community meeting Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00pm at the Lawrence Arts Center. LAC Gallery Director Rick Mitchell will brief attendees on the the results of the 2008 auction and its role in funding the exhibition program at the Lawrence Arts Center. Come learn and share your ideas!

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Dance Gala 2008

Dance Gala 2008 is a weekend of sharing the work our wonderful dance students have been doing all year. Join us for one of our four hour-long performances, each showcasing a variety of our classes and celebrating the LawrenceArtsCenter's excellent dance program! Tickets are $5.50 for general admission, and $3.50 for students, seniors and children.

Performance Schedule

• Friday, May 16, 7:00pm
• Saturday, May 17, 10:30am
• Saturday, May 17, 1:00pm
• Saturday, May 17, 3:00pm

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Stupid Easy Screen Print T-Shirt Workshop

One-Day Class Will Suit You to a "T"!

Saturday, May 17 10am-2pm
Cost: $26

Admire those witty and cool T-shirts you see at stores in town? Learn how easy they are to make. Design your own image and print it onto as many T-shirts you want to bring to class in this one-day workshop on Saturday, May 17th. Bring 100% cotton T-shirt(s) and a design idea. Other materials will be provided - space is limited, so enroll now.

Click Here to Enroll online, or call the Arts Center at 785-843-2787

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Summer Dance Workshops

5 Days of Dance

OUTSTANDING TEACHERS

May 27-31, 2008

Ballet with Sean Duus

Sean is lead teacher for the Kansas City Ballet School and his challenging & dynamic classes inspire dancers to reach for their best. His techniques to improve jumping and turning add new insights and excitement for all dancers. We look forward to having Sean return each summer for this wonderful week.

Adv. Modern Dance
Patrick Suzeau

All Advanced danced will benefit from this opportunity to take Modern Dance from Kansas University professor and artist Patrick Suzeau. His depth of knowledge, inventive combinations & delight in dancing make his classes exciting and insightful for students.

Beg & Adv Jazz Dance Through the Decades
Kimber Andrews

From Hip-Hop, to Disco, this class will explore dance in relationship to popular music and culture throughout the decades. From early jazz to Broadway to Fosse, to the Hip Hop of today.

Site-Specific Dance
Kimber Andrews

This class will explore dance and it's relationship to environments outside of the stage space. Dancers will look to architecture and nature as an inspiration for creating dances that relate to the world around them.

Dance and Interactive Technology
Kimber Andrews

This class will explore the computer program Isadora as a tool to combine digital media and dance. Real-time video editing software will be explored as a means to create dances that bridge the body and technology.

Download Application

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Coloring Outside the Lines

Saturday Class for Kids & Adults

Join us for some good ol' messy fun as you explore the arts with your two- or three-year-old in this adult/child class. Class meets Saturday, April 19th from 9:30 til 10:30am and play clothes are a must!

Click Here to enroll.

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Imagination & Place Environmental Award Presentation Ceremony

April 22, 2008

The Committee on Imagination & Place presents 2008 Environmental Awards

Imagination & Place Environmental Awards for volunteers were presented during a ceremony at the Lawrence Arts Center on Tuesday, April 22. Recipients for 2008 were Lawrence-based Friends of Hidden Valley, Cans for the Community, Friends of the Kaw, Schwegler Elementary School PTA, and Marie Stockett of Lawrence . Each of the five winners received framed watercolor awards by Lawrence artist Lisa Grossman.

The five recipients were recognized for the following. Friends of Hidden Valley support for the Lawrence Hidden Valley Camp for the Girl Scout movement in Lawrence .

Cans for the Community financial support to other non-profit organizations in Douglas County and surrounding communities by recycling aluminum beverage containers.

Friends of the Kaw efforts to preserve and protect the Kansas River for present and future generations, advocating for the rehabilitation of the Kansas River's environs, and promoting compatible recreational uses of the Kansas River.

Schwegler Elementary School PTA, to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary in 2007, brought Oregon conceptual artist Daniel Dancer in-residence to create an Art for the Sky image of a native Kansas Osage Orange tree, as well as initiated other environmental practices.

Marie Stockett led a citizens' appeal for "Pesticide-Free Parks" in Lawrence and tended garden beds.

The I&P Environmental Award is designed to recognize Douglas County community members who have made a demonstrable and positive impact on the local, regional, and/or global environment. The awards honor one of the following categories (in a four-year cycle): businesses, educators, artists and volunteers.

The award was established by the Committee on Imagination & Place of the Lawrence Arts Center in partnership with the Lawrence Waste Reduction & Recycling Division.

Representatives from the four groups were on hand to receive awards: Friends of Hidden Valley, Durand Reiber, Jill Giele, Robin Robertson, Margaret Townsend, and Jill Baringer; Cans for Community, Delmer Kruse, Wendell McGaugh, Will Lunn, Linda Lang, Linda Klinker, Delisa Drewes, and Kathy Richardson; Friends of the Kaw, Joanne Bergman and Laura Calwell; Schwegler Elementary School PTA; Kristy Teska, Margaret Springe, Lars Leon, and Anna Busby. Marie Stockett recieved an award as an individual volunteer.

A local foods reception was provided by the Community Mercantile.

Past Imagination & Place Environmental Award winners are: 2007, Artist Laura Ramberg and writer Ken Lassman; 2006, educator Kelly Kindscher, with runners-up Nancy O'Connor, David Owen, Rex Powell, and Marty Birrell; 2005 business Community Mercantile, with runners-up Free State Brewing Company and Z's Divine Espresso.

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Summer Class Listings

Summer class listings are now posted online. There's a full spectrum of possibilities, so choose your class and have some fun!

Click here for preschool classes.

Click here for kids art classes.

Click here for adult arts ed classes.

Click here for drama classes.

Click here for dance classes.

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Lawrence Arts Center Seeks Executive Director

The Lawrence Arts Center, located in Lawrence, KS, seeks an experienced, full-time Executive Director. Established in 1974, the LAC resides in a 40,000 square foot facility to accommodate, an arts-based preschool, two galleries, sales shop, 300-seat theatre, ten studios for curriculum of art, drama and dance classes.

This is a full time position with benefits. Preferred starting date is August 1, 2008. Review of applicants will begin March 14, 2008 and will continue until position is filled. Please forward a cover letter with current salary or salary expectations, résumé, references and a maximum one page position statement on “the role of community arts centers” to artsdirector@sunflower.com in MS-Word .doc or Acrobat .pdf formats Thank you.

Click Here to read more about this position.

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Arts-Based Preschool
Lawrence Arts Center Arts Based Preschool now enrolling for 2008-2009

Lawrence Arts Center Arts Based Preschool now enrolling for 2008-2009. Call now to add your child's name to the mailing list for enrollment information.

The Arts-Based preschool is for children ages 3-5 years and provides social, motor and creative experiences that excite a love for learning. Music, sculpture, painting, drawing and creative movement are an integral part of the program. The self-esteem of your child will grow through rich and varied experiences with the arts in combination with sound preschool education. The LAC Preschool's curriculum allows students the opportunity to work with professional artists, actors, dancers, and musicians in addition to the full-time staff; attend performances; and create in the ceramics studio. Lots of fun, lots of love, and lots of good arts experiences nurture creative thinking, decision-making, imagination and art appreciation.

Starting in the fall, our preschool will have one room which will accept children who are 2 years and 9 months old. In other words, if they turn 3 years old in September, October, or November they are eligible. Currently they must be 3 years old by September 1st, but we are changing that.

The class will meet on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 to noon.

For more information please contact Bonnie Cherry or Linda Reimond, Preschool Director, at 785-843-2787 or lacpreschool@sunflower.com.

Click Here to download Enrollment Form (PDF)

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Summer Youth Theatre Announces
2008 Season!

Look ahead to warmer days and exciting productions all summer long with the Summer Youth Theatre.

8th-12th Grades completed
June: Inherit the Wind, by Jerome Robbins and Robert E. Lee
July: Camelot

4th-7th Grades completed
June: Willy Wonka
July: The Sword and the Stone

Kindergarten-3rd Grades completed
Our youngest actors will create and perform plays based on stories of Knights of the Round Table, Harrowing Quests, Dangerous Journeys, and Romantic Tales of Swords and Sorcery. Plays will be performed the second Saturday of each two-week session.

Auditions for our two oldest groups will be held Sunday April 27, 2008. Auditions are for role assignment but everyone will be cast. Watch for more information in the Spring Arts in Action

KANSAS VS. DARWIN - a special showing of the documentary in conjunction with Lawrence Summer Youth Theatre's production of INHERIT THE WIND - with 'talk-back' following the show with former Seem-To-Be Player and director, Jeff Tamblyn -

Tuesday, May 27th, 7:00 PM - in the Theater - Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire, Lawrence, Kansas 66044

FREE for SYT students & families- all Summer Youth Theatre actors from Inherit the Wind cast will have the opportunity to see how the issues presented in the play are very much alive today - and here in Kansas.

For more information on the film, Click Here

Download SYT Application Form

Click here to read all the details including rehearsal and performance times and dates.

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Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton

In association with LookClickPrint, the Lawrence Art Center is offering reproductions of works by Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton, produced with superb detail and vivid color using archival inks and high-quality paper or canvas, in a variety of sizes. These prints are made to order according to your size specifications.

Download Catalogue(PDF)

Download Order Form(PDF)

Buy on-line from LookClickPrint.com

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Join the Arts Center Online

The best way to enjoy the Arts Center to the fullest is to become a member. While you enjoy these great benefits, you also will be supporting arts programs in your community - through scholarship, artist residencies, workshops and exhibitions. An online membership form is now available.

Online membership form

Learn More...

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