From left, Mike Weary, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's artist-in-residence; Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome; and Arts Council President/CEO Jonathan Grimes will welcome six playwrights, six directors and 18 actors to the city this weekend.
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced Baton Rouge’s participation in the national art-making campaign Arts for EveryBody at a press conference at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center June 13.
Baton Rouge is one of 18 cities and towns across the United States taking part in this a national demonstration of how the Arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities, all happening on the same day — July 27.
The day-long event is a partnership between the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and the City of Baton Rouge in collaboration One Nation/One Project and National League of Cities. It simultaneously premiers an array of large-scale participatory art projects drawing on the sounds, styles and stories in each of the 12 East Baton Rouge Parish Metro-Council Districts to answer the prompt "No place like home."
“While the other participating cities are doing one project, our day-long celebration touches all 12 of our metropolitan council districts, ensuring that every corner of our community can experience the transformative power of the arts while taking advantage of free health assessments,” Broome said. “We are showcasing the incredible talent within Baton Rouge and highlighting the vital role the arts play in promoting well-being. I encourage everyone to participate in these events and celebrate the unique essence of our city and parish."
"Arts For EveryBody will reimagine how we engage with our artists and Healthcare professionals in the Baton Rouge community," said Mike Weary, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's artist-in-residence, who is spearheading the project locally. “We’re all excited that the Arts Council is spearheading this unique, one-of-a-kind venture in our city.”
Nationally, Arts for EveryBody is under the leadership of Baton Rouge native Lear deBessonet and fellow art leaders Nataki Garrett and Clyde Valentin.
Activities start at 8 a.m. that Saturday with an interactive three dimensional sculpture board game at the Delmont Service Center and wrap up with the finale performance by Harlem 9 of 48 Hours at 6 p.m. in the Manship Theatre in the Shaw Center for the Arts.
All events are free and open to the public.
In the interest of accessibility, these art events are placed throughout the city within all 12 Metro-Council districts. All attendees are encouraged to participate in a free health screening administered by licensed professionals before and after each art intervention. These screenings will assist in demonstrating how participation in the arts can contribute to healthier individuals and communities.
The complete schedule includes:
8 a.m. – noon:
- Thras Kalaitzids — Interactive 3D Sculpture Board Game, Delmont Service Center/Robert Kelly Community Center, Metro Council District 5
9-11 a.m.:
- Jennifer Blanchard — Sculpting Workshop on indigenous plants recorded in clay, Hilltop Arboretum, Metro Council District 3
- Taylor Williams — Natural Land Sculpture, a land art project aimed at reconnecting Baton Rouge residents with the batture, historic ecology & indigenous land ethics., Frenchtown Road Conservation Area, Metro Council District 4
- Quianna Lynell — Harmony & Healing: A Jazz Sound Bath for Community Wellness, Nealville, 5251 Evangeline St, Metro Council District 7
9 a.m. to noon:
- Daffaney Webster — Art Therapy Session through polymer clay, Jewel J. Newman Community Center, Metro Council District 2
- Ellen Ogden — Ochsner Cancer Treatment Mural, Ochsner off O’Neal Lane, Metro Council District 9
- 10 a.m. – noon: Troy Lee —Creatives Elevate Collective Panel on building bridges in artistic wellness & sustainability, Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, Metro Council District 10
- 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Janie Luster — Houma Nation Basket Weaving, Zachary Branch, EBR Library, Metro Council District 1
2-4 p.m.:
- Jonathan Mayers — Creole Poetry & Mural Reveal, BREC Saia Park/Renior Cultural District, Metro Council District 6
- For Love of Dance — EBR School Play, Baton Rouge Community College, Metro Council District 7
2:30 – 5 p.m.:
- Keidrick Alford — Photography Workshop, & Artist Talk with Dr. Leone Elliott & Rick LeCompte, Healthcare Gallery, Metro Council District 11
- 4-5:30 p.m.: Cici Emendack — Poetry, Jones Creek Branch EBR Library, Metro Council District 8
- 5-7 p.m.: Kathryn Frady — Opéra Louisiane performance inspired by the lives of patients and medical staff who lived & worked at the leprosy colony in Carville, now known as the National Hansen's Disease Museum, St. James Place, Metro Council District 12
6-8 p.m.:
- 48 Hours in Baton Rouge, a production facilitated by Harlem 9, a New York-based theatre collaborative organization, leads artists from Baton Rouge to write, produce and perform a one-of-kind play developed in 48 hours, encapsulating the Arts for EveryBody theme, “No Place Like Home,” Hartley-Vey Studio @ Manship Theatre, Metro Council District 10
For more information, visit artsbr.org.