October is Arts and Humanities Month nationally and in Little Rock. Americans for the Arts has identified a different arts topic to be posted for each day in the month.  Next up is Education.

While the Little Rock School District has long valued the arts, for the past decade they have expanded the opportunities for students to learn and to showcase what they have learned.  In March 2020, they will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the program they call “Artistry in the Rock.”

The Arts play a pivotal role in developing the whole child. Learning in multi-arts experiences engages and strengthens fundamental cognitive capacities such as spatial reasoning, conditional reasoning, problem solving and creative thinking. All of which develop in students the kind of thinking and problem solving skills desired by businesses when making hiring decisions, and which serve as a greater benefit in our complex global marketplace.

The 10th annual Artistry in the Rock will take place March 16-19, 2020 and feature an exhibition of extraordinary artwork and performances by Pre-K – 12th grade students of the Little Rock School District, at the Hall of Industry on the State Fairgrounds, 2800 Howard Street, Little Rock. Artwork will be on display from 9am-2pm and performances begin at 9:30 daily.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, the District will host musical fundraisers at the Ron Robinson Theater, in addition to the March 19th culminating event. Here is a schedule of performances at Ron Robinson:
• December 13, 2019 – Holiday music featuring LRSD choirs from elementary, middle and high schools
• January 13, 2020 – Local musicians donate their talent, showcasing a blend of Pop, Neo-Soul and Rap
• February 10, 2020 – LRSD’s music educators display their talents
• March 13, 2020 – Inaugural performance of the All City Jazz Bands

Then, at the Hall of Industry on March 19th, guests will enjoy an evening of special performances from Voices Without Borders, an elementary honors ensemble, and the All City Concert Bands, as well as refreshments in the VIP area. The outstanding artwork of students and staff will be offered during a silent auction with proceeds benefiting Artistry in the Rock’s scholarship program for graduating seniors planning to major in the arts or art education.