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State of the Arts

Educators have long recognized the value of music, art, drama and writing for students’ creative development and academic success. Yet the arts remain squeezed by tight budgets and test-driven performance standards. This series highlights efforts to protect and promote school arts programs.

Third graders learn to listen — with help from drums, other noisemakers

Comstock Park James Harger

Students from schools throughout West Michigan get introduced to the big world of percussion instruments through presentations by Bill Vits, principal percussionist for the Grand Rapids Symphony...

‘Doing art well is what matters’

Kent City Janice Holst

A young artist took home a national award and has pledged to put his winnings toward his family’s future home...

Creating a picture of community and kindness

Rockford Charles Honey

Students’ drawings were incorporated by artist Mary Bent-Buist into a mural expressing a moving message: 'One kind word can change someone’s entire story'...

Fourth graders from across city cross lines with pictures on ‘Flexible Fence’

Arts and Academics Charles Honey

A collaboration of GRPS, artist Eliza Fernand, ArtPrize and PNC Bank, the 6-foot-high 'Flexible Fence' features more than 1,000 pictures by fourth graders from 26 schools...

Thanks to dedicated artists, city snowplows will be hard to miss

East Grand Rapids Morgan Jarema

Over the past couple weeks, art teachers led third and fourth graders from all three elementary schools in decorating a trio of city snowplow blades...

SmartArt competition winner finds inspiration in art, science classes

Grand Rapids Phil de Haan

C.A. Frost Environmental Science Academy junior Cindy Mazariegos-Barrios was so sure she wasn't going to win the 2019 SmartArt competition, she forgot to mention the big event where they announced the winner to her parents. Oops...

Not one, but two local high school bands to play Detroit Jazz Fest

State of the Arts Charles Honey

The pair of West Michigan jazz bands will be two of just six high school ensembles to play at the internationally renowned four-day festival, in its 40th year...

Students learn skills the fun way: making music

Lowell Morgan Jarema

A group of Alto Elementary students took part in 10 one-hour sessions with a music therapist at the Franciscan Life Process Center, thanks to a grant from the Lowell Education Foundation...

Young actor headed to Big Apple stage

Rockford Charles Honey

Eric Liu qualified for a national musical theater competition by being named Best Leading Actor in the state of Michigan at the Sutton Foster Ovation Awards at the Wharton Center in East Lansing...

‘From absolutely nothing to this full production’

State of the Arts Erin Albanese

It was three months before the spring play. There was no script and no plot, just the shadow of personalities students would soon embody as their own creations...

GRCC to host summer camp with musicians who mash classical, popular genres

Grand Rapids Community College Erin Albanese

ESME band members are challenging middle and high school students to blend modern and classical music during intensive summer experience...

Local students recognized nationally for innovative artworks

State of the Arts Charles Honey

Three students from Kent ISD high schools were awarded Gold Medals for their art entries in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards...

Creating their own Christmas story

Comstock Park Hannah Lentz

Fifth grade students at Pine Island Elementary put their acting skills to work for Christmas play...

Frosty the Snowman, in concert

Arts in Action Hannah Lentz

Students from Kettle Lake Elementary in Caledonia sing "Frosty the Snowman" in English and Spanish, from their recent holiday concert...

Catch a falling star & put it in your heart

Rockford Charles Honey

In a visit to Valley View Elementary School, Patricia Polacco, the award-winning author of over 100 children’s books, told students a true story about wishing on a falling star -- or wishing for a better world...