HLS 14RS-3480 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 93
BY REPRESENTATIVE BURRELL
COMMENDATIONS: Commends the Shreveport Regional Arts Council on celebrating the
30
th
anniversary of the ArtBreak Festival
A RESOLUTION1
To commend the Shreveport Regional Arts Council on celebrating the thirtieth anniversary2
of the ArtBreak Festival and its enduring success in the promotion of arts in3
education.4
WHEREAS, since its beginning in 1976, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council has5
enjoyed tremendous success in the promotion of artistic endeavors by students of Caddo6
Parish schools; and 7
WHEREAS, in 1983, the first ArtBreak Festival was undertaken to highlight and8
celebrate curriculum-based arts education and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council's9
community-based interdisciplinary arts in education programs; and 10
WHEREAS, the success of the first ArtBreak Festival in promoting an appreciation11
of the community value of arts in education was reflected in 1984, by voter approval of a12
new one cent sales tax to be used to maintain visual and musical arts educators for students13
in Caddo Parish in light of losses in state funding for arts and enrichment programs; and 14
WHEREAS, efforts to deepen and strengthen educational arts programs have been15
sustained over the years with the assistance and leadership of school administrators such as16
Superintendent Walter Lee, who received the prestigious award of "Outstanding17
Superintendent for the Arts" from the Kennedy Center, as well as the enduring efforts of18
Henry Price, whose leadership in planning and implementing community-based cultural19
plans led to his receipt of both the Governor's Award for Outstanding Arts In Education20 HLS 14RS-3480 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 93
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Leader for Louisiana, and the Outstanding ARTS Supervisor Award from the Kennedy1
Center; and 2
WHEREAS, throughout its history, the value of the Shreveport Regional Arts3
Council's support of arts education has been recognized by grants extended from the4
National Endowment for the Arts, and by awards such as the Governor's Award for5
Outstanding Arts in Education Programming and the Friend of Education Award conferred6
by the Louisiana Teachers Association; and7
WHEREAS, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council has been extraordinarily8
successful in establishing programs to both, bring professional artists into the schools to9
work directly with students, and to also engage those professionals in the creation of art10
works in collaboration with students from Caddo Parish schools; and 11
WHEREAS, students of Caddo Parish schools have enjoyed the benefit of working12
with nationally recognized artists such as Meg Saligman, who created the nation's largest13
publicly funded mural with the assistance of students from more than thirty Caddo Parish14
schools, and with William Joyce who serves as the executive director of the Artspace Center15
which offers students artistic curricula from all artistic disciplines designed to correlate with16
basic skills; and 17
WHEREAS, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, through the efforts of William18
Joyce, has worked to foster interest in arts in education throughout the state through the19
development and execution of two major multiparish projects for exhibitions to be featured20
at the ArtBreak Festival, namely, the "Black Friday" exhibition in 2008, to commemorate21
the eightieth year after the Great Depression, and the "Triumph over Tragedy" project in22
2009, which included a twelve-week arts in education program based on the stories of fifty23
"elders" who witnessed the Great Depression that was conducted in twenty-five schools, fifty24
libraries, and thirty-five cities; and 25
WHEREAS, in 2014, the ArtBreak Festival celebrates its thirtieth anniversary by26
continuing its tradition of a free, family, hands-on, student art showcase with visual, literary,27
musical, and performance art, and by including a return by former students of Caddo Parish28
schools who are now professional artists. 29 HLS 14RS-3480 ORIGINAL
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the1
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend the Shreveport Regional Arts Council on2
celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the ArtBreak Festival.3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted4
to the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.5
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Burrell HR No. 93
Commends the Shreveport Regional Arts Council on celebrating the 30
th
anniversary of the
ArtBreak Festival.