ACES Arts and Culture Program
The ACES Arts and Culture Program will soon be completing its 6th year. For the last two years with the destructive pandemic raging throughout our world, our ACES students could not experience concerts at Strathmore Music Center, The Kennedy Center, or the brilliance of our Smithsonian Museums, especially our frequent trips to National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).
We had to pivot…and felt it so important to reach within our Montgomery College arts scene. Our program introduced our students to magnificent Visual Arts programs offered here at Montgomery College by creating zoom forums for directors of our programs and guest artists to give their viewpoints on the educational journey ahead for our students, as well as what the arts (and careers) world will look like “post-covid”.
One highlight occurred on October 19, 2021, when our Arts and Culture Program sponsored an energetic roundtable with three visual artist/mentors for our ACES high school students, “So, You Think You Want to Go Into the Visual/Technological Arts?”. Professor Swanson (Chair, Media Arts & Technologies Department here at MC), Professor Edgar Reyes (Graphic Design Lecturer/Site Coordinator, Salisbury University) and guest artist, David Kepron, AIA (Architect, Artist, Author, Educator, Brand Experience Design Strategist, and Podcast Moderator) were panelists who spoke eloquently and honestly about the educational pathway and possibilities in new careers in the visual arts that those majoring in the visual arts programs at MC and other colleges can aspire to. Without a doubt, we look forward to sponsoring more of these programs – in person as well as via zoom – that inspire our up-in-coming artists in the near future – here at MC and beyond!
For sure, we are getting stronger now…and healthier…and we look forward to re-vitalizing our Arts and Culture Program and launching our 7th year in September, 2022. Our overall program mission remains clear – to creatively collaborate and nurture – always reconfirming the value, power, and importance of the arts in our culture, especially in the quickly changing and challenging 21st century! As all of us know, the arts and artists give us forward momentum to be empathic individuals, a compassionate community, and an inclusive society.
A clear and empowering example of this is watching the visual and performing artists of Ukraine dedicating their lives to defend their freedoms – no matter the danger ahead of them.
Therefore, we felt it was important to highlight those courageous, smart, and passionate artists who have chosen to transfer their extreme talents, discipline, and ability to “reach an audience”, and join the fight for Ukraine. Below are just a few of the world news articles coming in about those exquisite Ukrainian performing and Visual Artists.
We wish them safety and will keep them in our thoughts during this traumatizing time; we salute their bravery! As we know, leadership is sometimes thrust upon us…we applaud not only their artistic and fearless leader, President Zelensky, but all Ukrainian artists joining forces to fight for their freedom and country. Bravi! Bravissimo!
- From his TV sitcom…to now at war, Ukraine’s actor-president, Volodymyr Zelensky has modeled an idea of leadership that is very different from Vladimir Putin’s.
- Violinist’s new theatre – a bomb shelter!
- Artists – from ballerinas to musicians – take their passion for art, and their strong spirits, to fight back during this horrid invasion of their beloved Ukraine.
- Ukraine is home to so many museums…and the directors and staff of these museums are putting their own lives in danger to move valuable art to hiding places for safety from destruction during the horrid invasion.
- Artists in Ukraine reach out to Artists Abroad for Aid…and Support!
- A grassroots initiative, Museum Crisis Center, aims at helping museum workers with donations, medicine, food/water, in Ukraine emergency regions, evacuating artworks, and ultimately supporting the rebuilding of destroyed museums.
Our program would simply not exist if it were not for the generous spirit of the performing and visual arts organizations who graciously donated complimentary and/or discounted tickets to our program. We invite you to visit them and experience their expertise and community spirit by supporting their many extraordinary offerings! You will not be disappointed!
- Maryland Lyric Opera (MDLO)
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Montgomery College Visual, Performing and Media Arts Program
- Dance Place
- BlackRock Center for the Arts
- Young Artists of America at Strathmore (YAA)
- Strathmore Music Center
- The National Philharmonic at Strathmore
- The Montgomery College Arts Institute
- The National Symphony
- National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Library of Congress
- Grateful to Washington Mayor, Muriel Bowser, for commissioning this mural which spans two blocks of 16th Street. The world needs to see these words…
- Truly powerful and brilliant composers — too long neglected. We, as musicians salute them for their exquisite compositions and momentum in the classical world. History proves once again – Black lives matter now, and absolutely always!
- Portuguese dancer Marcelino Sambé is a Principal of The Royal Ballet. A piece of choreography created by Maestro Sambe in memory of George Floyd. “Nobody should have to live in fear because of the colour of their skin #BlackLivesMatter.”
- Concert pianist, Timo Andres, who’s debut performance at Carnegie Hall was abruptly cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus, uses his creativity and tenacious spirit to salvage his Carnegie Hall program by documenting it as a series of videos on the platform. All done by himself. Creativity Beyond!
- Fade to Black – Over 70 shows in the DC region were abruptly halted as the coronavirus put America and ALL it’s performing arts organizations on lockdown in March, 2020. Bravo to Rolando and Kris Sanz, Young Artists of America Founding Music/Artistic directors, YAA for their creativity in keeping their students connected via online rehearsals and “watch” parties. YAA is a grand supporter of our ACES program, donating tickets to their performances for the past 4 years.
- A great resource to find visual, writing, children/educational and performing arts options online. SO grateful to WETA for providing these really exciting options during our isolation. Creativity must go beyond any challenge. Join us…the arts truly DO empower us! Special BRAVA to Director of Education at Strathmore, and true supporter of our ACES Arts & Culture program. A really brilliant and inviting interview with Robert Aubrey Davis!
- What are your thoughts on the arts after COVID. What are the tasks of the artists…in and post COVID*. . Who and what will survive? The global impact? TBA!
- The art and creativity of photography. Enjoy the 2019 Smithsonian Magazine photo winners…and perhaps submit for 2020!?!
- Ailey All Access! While, for now, you can’t enjoy Ailey dancers performing in a theater – you can still marvel at the beauty and virtuosity of the Alvin Ailey Company’s performances via your computer screen!
- Now, you get to “go to the museum” and never have to leave your couch. Enjoy Google Arts & Culture’s collection – including the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Guggenheim in New York City! Museums are collections to reflect art, history, and science – especially treasured by the curious!
- How a dream of “belonging” helped create a thriving cultural center! Wa Na Wari is an art house and a community organizing effort, a testimony to how black homeowners can stay in their homes while also convening around black art. Cultural activism creates a home – a community center to celebrate.
- How a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering is a true champion of the new media arts involving emerging technology, and musical composition and performance.