Reader's Forum: Nelsonville youth art program integrates town and its arts community

I am a relative newcomer to the town and politics of Nelsonville, hired on last summer as executive director of Paper Circle, a non-profit arts organization located on the Public Square. In light of t...

I am a relative newcomer to the town and politics of Nelsonville, hired on last summer as executive director of Paper Circle, a non-profit arts organization located on the Public Square. In light of the recent debate, I'd like to toss in my two cents, but I'll be aiming for the fountain that sits in the center of town, filled with coins and wishes.
I can only offer my experience as an example, but there is a side to Nelsonville that seems to have eluded the press as of late. It is the side where we all work together for the good to make things happen for those in need. It is a side I see every day.
Yes, I agree that a square with something for everyone would be optimal. I also can appreciate why the galleries on the square might not hold universal appeal. But for a town that was once home to empty storefronts that nobody else cared to rent, it seems to me that things could be worse. Far worse.
I do not say this just because of my job. Nelsonville has attracted many creative, committed people who are dedicating their talent and resources to revitalizing the economy of the town. While the flavor may not be aligned with the interests of some residents, we do have to hand it to those who have located there. They have helped to bring Nelsonville's rich heritage back to life and are helping to preserve and enhance the aesthetic of this historical gem of a town - something not to be taken lightly in this day and age of demolition. And truth be told, it isn't an exclusive club. Some empty storefronts remain available for those who want to see more.
No matter what any one of us says or wants, the galleries, 17 strong, not only seem to be here to stay, they have gelled into a nucleus of activity around which a future is being built, and it would be in all our best interests to move forward together with an open mind and keen sensitivity.
When I first started my job, I was well aware of the lack of kids and regular townsfolk on the square, and this bothered me. But I was more bothered to discover that art, while plentiful on the square, was absent in the local school district. Art classes are not offered in the elementary or middle grades, and are only available as an elective in the high school if the students have time to fit it in. Most do not.
In financial terms, the district ranks 608 of 612 poorest in the state, and they struggle with the scant resources they do have just to keep the kids academically up to snuff. Isn't it a travesty that while we were gorging ourselves with art on the square, children were starving for art just doors away?
Of course, like the taste for food, appreciation of art is subjective, and not all people like the same things. For many, some art is foreign, plain boring or strange. But the process of creating with your hands is not foreign, boring or strange - it is a universal pleasure with roots inside all of us that just need to be nurtured. Delicate roots than can be crushed in childhood with a single cruel remark.
In fact, art is so important that studies conducted by the Department of Justice demonstrate that sustained art programs for kids actually improve academics, reduce delinquency, raise self-esteem, reduce anger and improve drop-out rates. The process of creating art also utilizes different learning modalities, underused by teachers who are already stretched to their limits by the demands of proficiency testing.
So it seemed to me, in light of all this, that the creation of an art program for the kids of our town could be win-win for everyone. Art could build a bridge that is wide enough for everyone to cross -- a bridge that would at first be painted in, constructed with clay, or woven into a friendship bracelet. But in the end we all would have our hands in the fun of creating this new way of communicating and learning. It is my hope that families of the children also would then have a reason to visit the galleries. Rather than feel alienated, they would feel welcome on what I see as rightfully their square.
I was lucky enough to piece together grants, and this July, with funding from the Ohio Arts Council, the Sisters of St Joseph and the Governor's Office of Appalachia, our new arts initiative, ""Circle Round the Square,"" was launched. The program provides underserved children from the Nelsonville York School District, ages 8-15, free of charge an intensive summer arts and cultural enrichment camp.
With the support of the city manager, the children rotated between four studios, attended shows at the Opera House and ate hot meals with snacks daily. For some of these children, already 15-years old, this was the first time in their lives that they had painted anything or played with clay. It was an incredible experience for all of us. We all grew and we all made new friends.
But I assure you, while we were exceedingly fortunate to have the monetary help we needed to squeak by, funding aside, none of it would have been possible without the donations and in kind support and volunteer hours donated by the many, many organizations and individuals and family members throughout the Nelsonville community who made it all happen. I name them as follows: the teachers and administration of the Nelsonville York School District; the Nelsonville Family Center; the Nelsonville Public Library; the First Presbyterian Church; Tribune Quality Printing; the First National Bank; the Coffee Cup Restaurant; Rhapsody Restaurant; Domino's Pizza; Rocky Boots; Sandborn's Vending; Kroger; and Crossroads Convenience, to name a few.
This is not to mention the help offered from Athens organizations, or the moms and dads and relatives of Nelsonville kids themselves (including Tom Young, who was recently interviewed in The Athens NEWS, and whose three children attended the program).
Families throughout the district, many who could barely afford the luxury of gas, made a real concerted effort to get their kids to the square every day, and to attend their children's show - their very own art show opening which was held at Stuart's Opera House this past Final Friday. No, there was no beer served, but joy was available on tap and in abundance.
I may be prejudiced, but the show was and is by any standards top-notch. When the children and their families saw their work displayed, many didn't have words readily available to express the pride that they felt at seeing their accomplishments. Little did they know that their individual accomplishments would also serve to reflect with a more clear and accurate light, the true spirit of this town and its accomplishments, too.
I would like to personally invite you to come to our closing ceremony and free documentary screening at 7 p.m. this Thursday at Stuart's Opera House to see t