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Rich Holly receives grant from DeKalb County Community Foundation

June 30, 2014
Dean Rich Holly receives the grant check from Latricia Dawkins, board member of the DeKalb County Community Foundation.

Dean Rich Holly receives the grant check from Latricia Dawkins, board member of the DeKalb County Community Foundation.

Rich Holly, dean of the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts, has received a $2,500 grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation for the second consecutive year.

The funds from the grant will help in the partnership created with Arts Midwest to bring the Arts Midwest World Fest to DeKalb County during the upcoming school year.

Working with the superintendents and other representatives of DeKalb schools and Sycamore schools, Dean Holly is excited about continuing the partnership with Arts Midwest World Fest throughout the county.

“The two groups who visited DeKalb County as part of Arts Midwest World Fest last year brought a tremendous amount of excitement to the school children and parents of the county. I am greatly looking forward to the two groups who will each spend one week with us during the coming year,” Holly said.

Each group that visits spends four days providing workshops to students about the music of its culture and presents a public concert as well.

Arts Midwest logoFor the coming year, one group from China and one group from Brazil will be in residence. “From October 26 to November 1, the group Shanren from Yunnan Province in China will be with us,” Holly said, “and from March 1 to 7 Paulo Padilha and Friends, from Brazil, will be with us.”

As more specific details become known about each group’s appearance and their public concert, promotional notices and materials will be sent to area news outlets.

“In addition to the wonderful support of the DeKalb County Community Foundation, in particular I want to thank the superintendents and arts faculty and staff members of the DeKalb and Sycamore school districts,” Holly said. “It’s been such a pleasure to collaborate with passionate people who understand the value that exposure to the arts and an arts education brings to their students and the community.”