The Savannah Cultural Arts Center has been closed for 15 months but is now taking the first steps toward reopening with the new series, Arts on the Lawn. The three free events are geared toward children ages 4-to-7 and will take place at 10 a.m. on June 19, July 10 and July 24.
The available spaces are expected to fill up quickly, so interested families and groups should register early. Anyone who needs assistance filling out the online form should call 912-651-6783.
“Tea Time Around the World” will be the theme of the first Arts on the Lawn. The program, which should last about an hour, will feature teacup decorating, a Raku pottery demonstration, movement and reading from the picture book for which the event is named. Participating kids will be able to take their teacups home with them.
Senior program coordinator Jenna Ward told me last week that the Cultural Resources department had a lot of success with virtual classes, story times and other programming in recent months, but staffers are looking forward to more in-person events and classes.
“We’re just excited to be reintroducing the Cultural Arts Center and our very talented instructors to the community,” Ward said.
Ward, who moved to Savannah during the pandemic, sounded especially happy to be engaging more directly with residents. She said that she has found the city “every bit as beautiful as everybody said it was.”
Arts on the Lawn will utilize the large grassy area with a lot of shade on the northwest side of the building along Oglethorpe Avenue. Families will be socially distanced and are encouraged to bring their own chairs, picnic blankets or beach towels. Participants should wear clothes that can get a little messy.
Subsequent events in the series will also feature crafts that children can take home. The July 10 theme will deal with water, and the July 24 theme with monsters.
It is certainly good to see that the city’s arts programming will be gearing back up, and it’s especially good to see the Cultural Arts Center become a destination again.
Some readers will recall the years of controversy over the building’s location, funding and theater design. The final product might not be where or what some of us envisioned, but the center should nevertheless be a real gem for the community – a destination for locals and for the arts in the heart of the Historic District.
Bill Dawers writes the City Talk column for the Savannah Morning News. He can be reached via citytalksavannah@gmail.com and @billdawers on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Cultural Arts Center launches new event series for kids, families this summer
The Latest
Featured
