Typically, when you stop into the Community Council for the Arts, you’re greeted with a quiet space filled with beautiful artwork. This week, the gallery was filled with a different type of art as well. 5th grade students from Banks Elementary and a few students from E.B. Frink Middle School got to perform at the Arts council as part of the Traditional Arts Programs for Students grant. 

“We believe in our kids, and we want to continue partnerships with the Lenoir County Public Schools and nurture those kids and all different forms of the arts,” said Arts Council Executive Director Sandy Landis. 

Community and district leaders heard students fill the space with renditions of popular songs from genres like gospel, R&B and jazz. 

"These performances were a wonderful showcase of our young people, their amazing talent, their uplifting enthusiasm, and their unlimited potential,” said LCPS Superintendent Brent Williams. 

T.A.P.S. is an invitational grant given by the North Carolina Council for the Arts, which provides funding to directors of the programs and assists with professional development as well. The Community Arts Council in Kinston has been a recipient of the T.A.P.S. grant for 15 years, though this year is the first time they’ve had both an instrumental group and chorus. 

“We want to celebrate art, celebrate the quality of the lives we have,” said Landis. “We know from many studies that children that participate in some form of the arts during their school years sharpen their critical thinking skills, stay in school and get better grades on their SATs and their ACT exams. So we want to encourage that.” 

Superintendent Williams agrees with Landis, saying "These performances highlight not only the tremendous value of the arts in education, but also the urgency of continuing to expand what we offer to our young people and our community in terms of the arts." 

LCPS is proud to partner with the Community Arts Council to provide these opportunities to students, and district leadership looks forward to more performances and community connections through the continued partnership in the future. 

"I want to thank Mrs. Sandy Landis for her strong leadership in making our Community Council for the Arts an amazing place to celebrate the pure beauty and joy of artistic talent and creative expression on display,” Superintendent Williams said. “I also want to thank Mr. Stephen Hill for his visionary leadership and tireless work to advocate for the advancement of the arts in our schools and in our overall community as well."