DCCA'S ARTS IN EDUCATION SERIES PRESENTS DOUG BERKY

Darke County Center for the Arts will bring storyteller,
actor, mime, and mask maker extraordinaire Doug Berky
to local schools during the week of September 22 – 26
to present his program “Gems: The World's Wisdom Stories”
for kindergarten through third grade students.

Darke County Center for the Arts will bring storyteller, actor, mime, and mask maker extraordinaire Doug Berky to local schools during the week of September 22 – 26 to present his program “Gems: The World's Wisdom Stories” for kindergarten through third grade students. “We are excited to bring Doug back to our community where he has been exceedingly well-received in the past by students and educators,” said Keith Rawlins, Artistic Director for DCCA. “Doug weaves together many art forms to create the fabric of his stories, but the most memorable component of his art has to be his incomparable imaginative yet life-like masks that make his one-man performance seem populated by a whole troupe of actors,” Rawlins explained.

DCCA's Arts In Education series annually provides performances by professional artists for students in all grade levels in every public school within in Darke County. Inspired by the vision of local educator William Combs, the program has been enlightening and entertaining students since 1983. “The importance of the arts in enhancing lives is well-known; by taking the performance to the audience, DCCA's Arts In Education shows offer the benefits derived from artistic exposure to many youngsters who would not otherwise have the opportunity,” stated DCCA Executive Director Andrea Jordan. Other A.I.E. performances this school year include Poetry Alive bringing poems to life for high school students October 13 – 16, “Zydeco For Kids” presented by famed musician Terrance Simien to fourth-through-sixth graders October 27 – 31, and the thrilling recycled percussion of Scrap Arts Music March 12 – 13 for those in junior high.

DCCA's Arts In Education presentations are sponsored by Target, DP&L Company Foundation, Vectren Foundation, Greenville Federal, Maid Rite Sandwich Shoppe, The Andersons, Edison Community College, Richard and Shirley Baker, The Oliver Family Fund of the Darke County Foundation, BASF, Family Health, Littman-Thomas Agency, and Mercer Savings Bank, and the Mandy Green Fund of the Darke County Foundation. Additional funding is provided from DCCA memberships and the schools. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. DCCA also receives operating support from the Harry D. and Esther Stephens Memorial as well as funding from the Ketrow Foundation and Lydia E. Schaurer Memorial Trust Fund.