May 2013

Dear Friends of Civic Arts,  I would like to share with you some important information regarding an upcoming City of Walnut Creek meeting taking place on Tuesday, May 21st at 7:00 pm. As someone interested in the arts, we wanted you to be informed about news that might affect the programs of Civic Arts Education, Recreation as well as other programs within the City. Due to the economic downturn and other contributing factors, the programs, services and facilities Walnut Creek provides to the community will no longer be fiscally sustainable at current levels beginning with the 2014-16 Budget.  To balance the budget, the City will have to:  * reduce services; * find alternative ways to deliver services and maintain facilities (e.g. outsourcing or partnering with private operators); * increase revenues; or * implement a combination of above  To navigate the challenges that lie ahead, the City Council is focused on these two questions: * What are the City's priorities in providing services to the community? * What are the City's priorities in providing the facilities that support delivery of these services? In the weeks ahead, the City Council will hold a series of public meetings to consider these questions as they relate to all programs, services and facilities. The meeting to review Civic Arts Education Programs will take place on May 21.  7 p.m. Tuesday, May 21  Civic Arts Education, Recreation and Open Space Classes and Camps;  7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4 Facility Rentals 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 2 Aquatics, Performing & Visual Arts (Lesher Center for the Arts & Bedford Gallery) All meetings will be held at City Hall and are open to the public. In addition, all meetings will be streamed live on our website and broadcast on Walnut Creek TV. Meeting video will be posted on the website within 24 hours after the meeting.  To learn more about the City's budget, long-term financial plan, and actions that have already been taken over the last four years to reduce costs, go to www.walnut-creek.org/budget.  Adriane Lee Bird  Interim Program Manager for Civic Arts Education The Little Mermaid, May 17 and 18 at Del Valle Theatre A Summer Full of Dancing Everything's Coming Up Music A Summer to Remember for Your Child Summer Art Camps: Travel the World Without Leaving Home! Wanted: Very Part-Time Office Staff for Friends of CAE Foundation

The Little Mermaid, May 17 and 18 at Del Valle Theatre  In a magical kingdom fathoms below, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she's the girl with the enchanting voice. Sound like a fairy tale? Well, it is! Based on a Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid has captivated children of all ages with its romantic tale.  The talented youngsters of the Youth Theatre Company will present the enchanting tale May 17 at 7 pm and May 18 at 11 am, 2 pm, and 7 pm at Del Valle Theatre in Walnut Creek. What makes this production so special is that all four age groups that comprise YTC perform in the show.  Read more . . .

A Summer Full of Dancing  Chelsea Chan, an 18-year-old senior at College Park High School, has been involved with CAE and Diablo Ballet's dance program for five years. While she loves taking classes year round, she particularly looks forward to attending the Summer Intensive, taking place July 15-August 2 at the Shadelands Art Center.  "It's so much fun-very different from attending classes during the school year where you can't dance all the time," says Chelsea. "With the Summer Intensive, you get to dance everyday for almost five hours." She did admit that she does get pretty sore at the beginning of the program. "It takes a little while to get used to the intensity of just dancing that much. But by the end, you are in the greatest shape."  Read more . . .

Everything's Coming Up Music  Those who love music have several concerts to choose from during May at Civic Arts Education. First up is the Young Performer's Orchestra and Diablo Regional Youth Orchestra's concert on May 28. Beginning at 7 pm at Shadelands Auditorium, the talented young musicians will play compositions by W.A. Mozart, J. Brahms and Franz Peter Schubert. The concert will also premiere a specially commissioned work for DRYO by Curtis van Liew featuring Curtis on trumpet. Melissa Meharg, Concerto Competition winner, will be featured on a viola solo.  On May 30 at 7:30 pm at the Shadelands Auditorium, CAE's Jazz Band and Flock of Flutes (FOF) combine for another exciting evening of music. The Jazz Band will be swinging to the beat of such Big Band favorites as Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and much more.  Read more . . .

A Summer To Remember for Your Child Art, movie making, drama, dance, cartooning, stained glass, science and sports, the list goes on and on. But this isn't just some list of words inscribed on paper, it's a living, breathing "oh-so-popular" CAE program-Arts, Adventures and Academics (AAA).  Running from June 17-July 19, AAA includes classes on the above and much more for 1st through 9th graders. "It's really an exceptional program in a fun, relaxed setting," says AAA director Cindy Schultz. "We have morning classes led by experienced specialists who are excited and passionate about teaching children. The wide array of classes challenge as well as inspire children's imaginations."  Read more . . .

Summer Art Camps: Travel the World Without Leaving Home!  Journey to the Wild West, go back in time to a land full of castles and dragons, or discover outer space all without leaving Contra Costa County! Anything is possible at Civic Arts Education's Summer Art Camps.  Designed for 5 to 10 year olds and held at Shadelands Art Center, the weekly camps each have their own special theme. "This is a really fun art camp," says coordinator Lisa Taft. "Each week is a different theme, and this year we are using a Disneyland art theme and creating different worlds."  Read more . . . Wanted: Very Part-Time Office Staff for Friends of CAE Foundation  This nonprofit foundation provides funding support for scholarships and programs for Civic Arts Education, Northern California's largest community arts education program. The Foundation is looking for an organized, highly productive individual to work in the office for this emerging nonprofit organization. Classified as a part-time temp position, it does not include benefits. The hourly salary is $15 to $20 per hour, depending on qualifications and performance.  Read more . . .