It is important for a community to pay attention to its own cultural development, feed into it and nurture it. The culture of a community is represented by its art and music. Our residents need to support our art businesses and help our cultural arts organizations to grow by joining, subscribing, volunteering or donating! People who buy tickets, make donations, register for classes, or help plan art events, art exhibitions and art and music festivals are making great things happen for Katy. It’s worth it too. Art is good business and will make a great place like Katy an even better place to live.

It is up to people like you to make things happen. The people that live here, work here and play here. Come out for the arts in Katy, support your cultural district development. Buy tickets and plan events. The arts represent our unique culture and diversity. We need to work together to help make our arts community grow. It’s time to live a dream, be an artist, be a supporter of the arts and create a whole and creative community.

Be a part of the arts.
Join the Cultural Planning and Events Review Committee and help bring the arts to Katy!

The non-profit Arts, and individual artists, musicians, and art businesses; paint and ceramic, music and dance studios, supportive venues, caterers, marketing and graphic services, designers… these are the creative people and organizations that are part of our art community, they help make Katy creative and unique and we need to support cultural outreach, arts development and our art businesses here in Katy.

Look for our cultural art organizations with corporate offices, kiosks, galleries, venues, theaters and studios located within the Cinco Ranch 77450 district. Villagio Town Center at Corner of Westheimer Parkway and Peek Road and NE to the Equestrian Center in Cinco Ranch. The seeds are planted. You’ll find the arts alive and growing here. And More Art will grow if the community helps. Immediate support for cultural district development has been made possible by developers like Marcel Group from the Woodlands who are offering subsidies to support the development of new art business and cultural arts organizations in Katy to find the heart beat of activity at the Villagio Town Center and in Cinco Ranch.

Cultural Art Organizations that have registered for kiosk space, gallery space, donated artists studios, workshop space, public art projects, and venue sponsored events at Villagio Town Center include:

ARTreach Gallery and Studios at the V Gallery- with Gallery Night openings once a month on the 3rd Friday. The next public opening is February 18th, with additional art groups represented by March 18th
ARTreach Institute- Teaching Artist Training Center. Training workshop that invites students to participate for free or subsidized workshops with practicing artists in training. Unique and new workshops are scheduled quarterly. Participants may register in advance for an upcoming workshops with professional artists and volunteers in training. Artists and volunteer are training for Outreach, to bring the arts to neglected populations, children at risk, in hospitals, impoverished communities, senior living and assisted living centers, and special needs facilities and home care groups. Wherever ARTreach goes. We make sure the arts are part of everyone’s life. www.artreachonline.org
The Texas Music Project in Katy. LIVE at the V.I.P. with great concerts in line through April. Touring and coming to Katy- Inner City All Stars, Sara Hickman, Del Casitllo and Jon Christopher Davis and the Lone Star Attitude. Different genres to represent our diverse community with support from the Texas Commission on the Arts. This project supports economic development and cultural tourism and will measure local community support for the arts through tickets sales and community donations. “Come out the the Arts in Katy!
Katy Heritage Society- Community Outreach – Public Art Project- “All Aboard Katy!” Find the Community Artists Studios and amazing trains and works in progress at the Villagio Town Center- Heritage Roundhouse Studios.www.katyheritagesociety.com
Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC)- Outreach and Community Theater previews monthly at the VIP and and Villagio Plaza- and children’s art shows coming to the “V” Gallery soon. Arts Alive at LaCenterra this spring, and always great after school art programs and community theater at the Equestrian Center. www.kvpac.org
Young Audiences of Houston- offering sponsored family presentations, storytellers, puppet shows, music and previews . Young Audience of Houston connects our schools and community to the cultural arts and Arts For Learning Programs. PTAs and Arts in Education Committees are aware of this great arts organization. Families can learn more at the YAH Kiosk at the V Gallery at Villagio. www.yahouston.org
TEXAS PTA has a kiosk representing Arts in Education Committees and PTA involvement in the schools and community here- Find Arts Advocacy information for parents and teachers at the V Gallery at Villagio. Coming this spring see an exhibition of the State winners of the 2011 Reflections Program- theme “We’re in this Together!” www.TXPTA.org and our local Katy ISD Council of PTAs www.katycouncil.org

ALL non-profit art groups, colleges and fine arts groups are invited to be here, to represent Katy’s great and growing arts community. Art related businesses may apply for unique developer subsidies and V Gallery support to make creating your art business to be viable in Katy. No matter where your art business is located in the the Katy area. We’ll show it off at the V Gallery and share your business information at the Art Business Kiosks in Katy at Villagio. It’s a new idea, how it grows depends on proactive involvement and our community interest and support.

ARTreach Corporate Offices at FALA Creative, and KVPAC, offering theater and art programs, and Katy’s great community theater, The Encore Players, and Night at the Improv are also located in this area and at the Equestrian Center in Cinco Ranch. ART on the Lake is coming in April to be held at Firethorne. Artist and volunteers are needed to share creative and interactive art activities to encourage children to participate in the arts.

Thank you to the work behind the scenes represented by the Cultural Planning and Events Review Committee and a growing list of art supporters and businesses supporting the arts in Katy. If you are into the arts, you need to be part of this. Every brushstroke helps to paint the greater picture. Just reach out for the arts, connect the dots and paint with lots of color. If you represent art, theater and music and you are here in Katy, please become involved in Katy’s cultural planning and development. info@artreachonline.org (281) 392-5341

What kind of art and art events would you like to see happening in Katy?

Gallery Night, the 3rd Friday of each month at the Villagio Town Center

SEPT 19, 2010 Katy, TX – ARTreach Gallery Night on Sept 17th featured an unveiling of amazing artwork and a host of great artists and musicians in the community. Katy is invited to join ARTreach each month at the Gallery at Villagio Town Center – the Friday night receptions include art, wine, appetizers and desserts and is free to the public. This is your chance to see new art, and be introduced to amazing artists, hear live music and participate in the process of making and buying original art.

This is the ARTreach Gallery – The organization is featuring a roster of professional exhibiting gallery artists and visual and performing arts entertainers monthly at the ARTreach Gallery & Marketplace. ARTreach sells original art, pottery, fused glass, jewelry, the most unique gifts for teachers and friends to help raise money for ARTreach Programs. The Marketplace includes ARThouse Coffee Blend and Cups of Caring created by art volunteers and students in the community, and other wonderful items to help bring art programs to underserved schools in our tri county area. ARTreach Gallery Night features an ARTparty on the Patio with family art activities sponsored by Berryhill Baja Grill of Cinco Ranch.

Gallery Artist of the Month- Vickie McMillan and the ART of Africa
Featured Musician – Bill Solley courtesy of Cinco Ranch Conservatory of Music
Special Guest Star – Graelyn Kelly of ARTreach
Guest Artist- Mark DeLeon, Live Painting- Professional Graffiti Artist from the ARTreach Warehouse in NW Houston &
George Melchor- Painting the ARTreach /Tradition Bank “All Aboard Katy” Train at the Roundhouse!
ARTreach Teaching Artist of the Month- Danny Russo, professional silk screen artist, on the Patio at Berryhill with art activities for the children
Special Patio Artist- Face painting by Amber Gustafson of Katy and Amber’s Design
Thank you to ARTreach Art Volunteers from National Charity League Azalea Chapter
Featured caterer of the month – Hasta La Pasta
Wine of the month- LangeTwins Winery & Vineyards
Featured ARTreach Program of the Month- Art of Africa, Uganda Arts Council and International ARTreach Exhibiting Artist’s Vocational Training Workshops

All this IS happening at the ARTreach Gallery Night at Villagio Town Center- New artists, music and activities each month- This is signature ARTreach event that benefits the entire community. The public is invited each month – visit Villagio Town Center and the ARTreach Gallery the 3rd Friday of every month, 6-10 pm. The Gallery is open for special events and ARTreach workshops held throughout the month, and the items in the Gallery can be found and purchased online soon via the ARTreach Gallery and Marketplace www.artreachonline.org

Upcoming at the ARTreach Gallery
October 15 – More Art of Africa! Musician of the month courtesy of the Cinco Ranch Conservatory of Music. “Art to a Different Beat” Mark DeLeon and Hannah Anderson live at Berryhill Baja Grill.
November 19- A Featured artist and professional photographer, Fatima Donaldson. Check out the ARTreach Marketplace- Sweet Heat Jalapeño Jelly created in the ARTreach “Within My Reach” Culinary Art Program for adults with special needs.
December 17- featured artist of the month- Elizabeth Bailey, Art to a Different Beat! ARTreach Christmas Marketplace and Teacher Gift Party- Buy your gifts from the ARTreach Gallery and Marketplace. Your art purchase helps to bring art programs to underserved title one schools in our community. PTAs can a help! ARTreach Rotating Gallery and Marketplace can be booked to come to your school by a PTA. ARTreach makes art shopping easy for parents and teachers – PTAs and ARTreach work together to help a sister school in need of art programs and beneficial cultural arts and educational connections.

ARTreach is in the community and bringing the arts to Katy through resource sharing partnerships and creative art and music outreach that will amaze you! Visit the website, www.artreachonline.org.   You’ll be inspired! Please volunteer, donate, and get involved in the arts. It’s worth it.

Contact Terri Bieber, ARTreach Executive Director for more information about ARTreach or Gallery Night 281-392-5341. To join the Gallery, interested artists and musicians, please submit an online application, the ARTreach Gallery Director is Fatima Donaldson. Sponsors and new art partners please contact Christine Stilwell at c.stilwell@artreachonline.org Additional photos are online and can be downloaded by the media. Our photographer is Janet Buller of Buller Photography.

Recently our organization received a generous donation of space, free rent for two years valued at $43,200 from The Warehouse Studios in Northwest Houston. We have been asked to match the facility donation with program development that will directly impact this community. We will be providing URGEWORKS Programs. These are our programs that represent urgent outreach targeting high risk youth in underserved communities. These ARTreach Programs work to turn youth away from drugs and gang activity by providing a safe haven in their community and exposing youth to positive people and creative alternatives to negative behaviors.

The URGEWORKS programs combine ARTreach teaching methods, mentors and positive role models, with relevant aspects of the hip hop culture to teach dance, art, music and drama. The programs promote learning and provide new and creative opportunities for youth at risk to be successful and contribute positively to their communities today and into the future.

It is true, ARTreach URGEWORKS Programs in underserved communities are utilizing professional street dancers and graffiti artists to actually help students stay off drugs, stay in school, and stay out of trouble. Our artists teach that through hard work and perseverance you can make your own dreams come true. The program teaches techniques in dance and utilizes fine arts curriculum that incorporates educational objectives that help students meet mastery standards in fine arts, language arts, history, math and science. The program also supports physical education, teaches about character and community responsibility, and promotes healthier lifestyles and safer communities.

The URGEWORKS Programs are urgent and they work! ARTreach is currently offering these programs weekly in 3rd Ward, and one day a week at The Warehouse in NW Houston. The Warehouse is located at the corner of 34th and Mangum in the heart of a Latino community much in need. The building is 6000 sq ft made up of 7 classroom and office space and a 3000 sq. ft. of air conditioned area for staged shows and performances. The Warehouse will house a recording studio and dance studio and offer free health and exercise programs to residents in this community. The Warehouse is also home to The Worship Experience Church providing services weekly to reach out to this community as well.

Our challenge through this gift in kind is to expand our ARTreach Programs immediately to serve the urgent needs represented by the youth in this area. We are accepting this challenge, because we know our URGEWORKS Programs WILL help the children and the families living in poverty and in this community. We also believe the additional benefits of full time ARTreach programming in this community will touch the lives of the elderly residents living alone and in need of companionship and social interaction that free art, music and movement classes will also provide.

This is a major project for ARTreach and we are starting it now. Our first goal is to expand programs serving children at risk from 10 hours a month to 30 hours a month by July. ARTreach will be tracking the increasing numbers of students and measuring the impact the ARTreach Programs are having in this community for the next two years. We will be producing short film documentaries that will capture our progress and share the results of an outreach program that we hope can be replicated by mission driven art groups and community leaders anywhere as a viable solution that truly supports the needs represented by children at risk.

We are asking for your support. Your donated dollars will be used to contract the ARTreach staff necessary to support the additional students. ARTreach staff is responsible for community relationships, curriculum development, lead teaching, and volunteer recruitment and artist training to expand and assure programs ongoing. Donations in any amount will help and are 100% tax deductible.

Donations are accepted online www.artreachonline.org using Visa or MC or Pay Pal. Checks are also can be made out to ARTreach and mailed to:
ARTreach
Warehouse Studio NW
4500 W 34th Street Suite K
Houston, TX 77092

We invite you to be a part of this important project and support the ARTreach URGEWORKS Programs at the Warehouse in NW Houston. Please visit our website to learn more about ARTreach and the impact the arts have on children at risk and others in need www.artreachonline.org

We are also in need immediate donations of art supplies including Crayola Markers and basic white drawing paper, Prang Watercolor sets, Watercolor blocks and paper, Liqitex Complete Classic Studio Acrylic set, Standard depth wrap around and gallery wrapped canvas sizes 16×20 ($25.19) up to 4 x72 ($429), Acrylic and watercolor brushes/ white or golden synthetic brushes, size 2- 32

We are also improving the studio and classroom space where ARTreach programs will be offered we are seeking donations that include Paint, Lumber, Carpet, Sound Equipment, Tables and Chairs, Office furniture, Computers

We also need volunteers to help, and skilled laborers for the flooring and carpet installation, painters and technicians for office computer and sound system set up.

Thank you for your support! Please contact me anytime for details about this program and to discuss other ways you can become involved and help.

Terri Bieber
ARTreach, Executive Director
t.bieber@artreachonline.org
Cell 713-444-1897
Office 281-392-5341

Please contact our ARTreach URGEWORKS Program Director, Chris Gamez for more information. Become a Mentor through Art today and volunteer to teach dance, art and music to children at risk.
Chris Gamez
info@artreachonline.org

info@urgeworks.com

Solana at Cinco Ranch residents and volunteers from ARTreach and National Charities League have spent the last eight weeks involved in a unique ARTreach project to create “Cups of Caring”. This project involved the senior residents at Solana in an outreach project that will help bring the arts to children at risk this summer, and trained incoming ARTreach volunteers in a variety of ceramics techniques and at the same time. Over 40 cups, stemware, plates and serving dishes were created over the 8 week course. Solana of Cinco Ranch is hosting an Open House on March 25th 5:30- 7:30 PM to unveil the complete “Cups of Caring” collection. The public and the press is invited to attend.

ARTreach wishes to thank our Cinco Ranch High School National Honor Society Art Volunteers and National Charities League Azalea Chapter for supporting the project. Thank you to Deborah McKee, ceramic specialist from Ceramics by Tess in Katy for sharing a variety of creative glazing techniques that guaranteed outstanding results. ARTreach also wishes to thank Karen Richards, professional artist and Katy ISD art teacher, the residents of Solana, as well as Ann Bayliss and Patti Evans Lifestyle Directors at the Solana for supporting the project. ARTreach hopes to raise $500 from the sale of the Cups of Caring at the Open House event. The money will be used this summer to subsidized art camps and special projects for children at risk in Fort Bend County.

For more information about the project contact Terri Bieber at ARTreach 713-444-1897. For more information about the Open House or to RSVP contact Ann Bayliss at the Solana 281-395-9600 THE SOLANA AT CINCO RANCH is located at 24001 Cinco Village Center Boulevard • Katy, Texas 77494

Art and music enriches the atmosphere and improves attitude

ARTreach is responding to the needs of a growing population of senior citizens and is currently developing new programs for medical care patients and individuals with Alzheimer’s. A pilot program at Kissito Healthcare Katy was initiated September 14 and concluded November 7th. The objective of the pilot was to demonstrate the impact art and music could have a mental health and long term care.

The Kissito Health Care ARTreach pilot measured significant improvements in behavior and other mental health indicators. The indicators were established at the start of a pilot to identify reductions in medications, fewer falls, improvements in behavior, including decreases in verbal aggressiveness and increased social interaction.

The ARTreach Program combined live music and dance motions with visual art projects on a weekly basis to stimulate a creative process. “This was a creative collaboration, we were looking for improvements in our resident’s mental health and outlook, says Jane Davis, Executive Director at Kissito Healthcare Katy “The program was enriching and the pilot successfully marked a significant reduction in the number of incidents related to verbal aggression and frustration exhibited by the sample group we selected to participate in the 8 week pilot.

ARTreach evaluates program content and delivery to determine best practices. Which aspects or discipline has the highest positive impact? Is it a specific tune, a particular color, a certain action or motion? The pilots take into account there is a technique related to a skilled artist’s delivery, and a combination of several art disciplines that act like a switch turning on the light that connects to the creative process. The program also supports staff development by exposing activity leaders and direct care staff to engaging new and creative art practices that assist in long term care.

This ARTreach pilot and others initiated this year are made possible in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts and new TCA Arts Respond Grants supporting Health and Human Services. The ARTreach website hosts archives that feature over five years of pilots and programs with best teaching practices designed for elder care, juveniles in detention, children at risk and other special needs populations. www.artreachonline.org

Of course, that isn’t what happened last Thursday night. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised by the number of art lovers who turned out for the grand event. Luckily, the stormy weather of the morning (which was probably discussed) turned to beautiful by the time the fundraiser opened. We had a great turnout and pulled in around $6000 for ARTreach and the participating artists.

The ARTreach chair, painted by our 2009 Heroes Among Us in a workshop staged at Berryhill Cinco Ranch, was auctioned off and will be going to a very good home. I imagine this fabulous chair designed by an equally fabulous arteest (we won’t name names… ok, me) will be quite the conversation piece but it is also very comfortable. I confess I have nestled into it on occasion while it resided in my studio and I can vouch for its comfort-ability factor. What a great book reading chair, plus, it has the dual functionality of wide, sturdy arms to rest a beverage of one’s choice. What more can you ask in a chair? Nothing, I tell you, nothing.

The silent auction proved to be popular. Art, specialty items and baskets of goodies were auctioned off. I believe we will expand on the silent auction next time around. Who doesn’t like the suspense of a good silent auction? I ask you. It’s worth it for the skulduggery alone. You know who you are – sharking the auction pieces to the last moment. I, of course, would never do that. Ever.

The success of this event has emboldened us! Oh yes, we are emboldened. Putting on an art exhibition is a lot of work, yes, but a lot of fun too. We are proud to be able to showcase our area artists in such a beautiful setting as the Villagio Town Center Community Room. The exhibition will hang there for another month. Many thanks to Berryhill of Cinco Ranch (such a great ARTreach supporter) for providing the food. Katie Biggers, ARTreach friend, supporter and all-around fabulous chica, provided the wine.

Of course, all this fun adds up to ARTreach being able to continue its efforts to bring arts education to those in need. We thank you all and hope to see you next time!

That quote came to mind as our Chair-ish the Arts fundraiser draws near. Our showcase piece is a real chair painted by the 2009 Heroes Among Us. They certainly added their own voices to the original chair. It’s quite spiffy.

We are getting quite excited about this upcoming exhibition, which includes a silent auction. Wonderful, original art will be on display by area artists. We hope to see you there. Below is one of the exhibition pieces.

She held the chair in her hand by Elizabeth Bailey