News Release
March 21, 2007
Soweto Choir of South Africa to perform at Arlington Theatre for 4,000 students
Please Note: This performance is NOT open to the general public.
The Soweto Choir of South Africa will perform April 10 for 4,000 elementary school students at the Arlington Theatre. The Children’s Creative Project (CCP), an arts education program of the Santa Barbara County Education Office, and Santa Barbara Bowl’s Education Outreach Program are co-presenting this free program.
The Soweto Choir will present for students songs, drumming, dance, and the costumes of South Africa. The program will include songs primarily sung in several of the different South African languages and in English about their peoples’ struggle for freedom and democracy, their joy and optimism, and traditional gospel songs as part of their cultural arts heritage.
The Children’s Creative Project and the Santa Barbara Bowl’s Education Outreach Program fund the Santa Barbara youth performance. Funding to support this event is provided in part by the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival produced by the Children’s Creative Project to benefit its arts education programs. Other important funding for this event comes from the Hutton Foundation and the Dreier Family Foundation. This performance would not be possible without the co-sponsorship of UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Metropolitan Theatres Corporation.
“Coordinated by the Children’s Creative Project, this performance is part of the CCP’s larger arts education program that provides visual and performing arts workshops conducted by resident artists in 60 elementary schools reaching 30,000 students,” explained County Superintendent Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the program. “In addition, the CCP presents more than 1,000 performances per year for 60,000 students in 150 schools throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.”
Similarly, the Santa Barbara Bowl’s Education Outreach Program gives back to the community essential support for local youth arts programs. The Bowl works in conjunction with local schools to develop mutually beneficial projects and to establish community partnerships by involving members of the local student population. Funding for the Education Outreach comes from private donations and proceeds from special events and concerts.
Performance times: 9:15 to 10 a.m. and 10:15 to 11 a.m.