Heidi Steinke Meade, Director of Education with Arts Place

Heidi Steinke Meade, Director of Education with Arts Place visited the New Bremen-New Knoxville Rotary Club to discuss their programs.  The biggest program Arts Place offers is Arts in the Parks.  “The program ran for six weeks, employing 22 artists, in 18 communities,” said Meade.  “It was a great opportunity all through Auglaize and Mercer County .”  Meade noted that the New Bremen- New Knoxville Rotary Club is a local sponsor of Arts in the Parks.  This summer over 400 children registered for 4-5 classes each, clearly demonstrating the interest in creative arts in western Ohio /eastern Indiana .  Arts Place began 42 years ago in Portland Indiana and had experienced steady growth over their year in existence.  Meade had begun the “Mecca Collective” in St. Marys and it was a natural fit that the Mecca Collective should join under the umbrella of Arts Place in 2006 as the Collective Center .   

Meade explained the importance of having a regional arts center.  “The mind-set at the Collective Center in St Marys is to serve all of Auglaize and Mercer Counties ,” said Meade.  Meade gave an example of how they work across various communities.  A French-Canadian folk music group, Mauvais Sort will perform in Marion Local Schools and will perform in Wapakoneta High School Performing Arts Center during the upcoming school year.  The funding for the program comes from the Ohio Arts Council’s IMPACT program, and without a regional arts center, this program wouldn’t be possible.  “Each community ought to be able to support some sort of community arts center, and it’s my job to help cultivate that sort of thing,” said Meade.  The artists in the St Marys Collective Center teach dance, theatre, visual arts, pottery, music and more.  

Other upcoming programs include “Walk with Nature,” a youth photographic exhibit of photos along the canal; the annual Christmastime arts and crafts sale; and a student regional art exhibit in the spring.  Arts Place also works to get artists and performers into local schools and retirement communities to provide education and entertainment for students and seniors.  While a minimal fee is charged for events and classes, financial assistance is available.  

Two Rotary scholarship winners from 2010, Caleb Williams and Sara Jarvis also visited and spoke to the club. Each gave a short talk about their college plans. Williams plans to attend Mt. Vernon Nazarene University this fall and will major in sports management and marketing and he’ll play basketball for MVNU.  His goal is to work in a Division I University or professional sports franchise front office.  Jarvis is a junior marketing major at the University of Dayton .  Jarvis recently spent 5 weeks in Rome studying abroad.  Congratulations to the Rotary Scholarship winners!

Hosting Rotarian: Kristen Hough