The Sisters Folk Festival Americana Project
The Sisters Folk Festival Americana Project provides opportunities for young people to learn about, write, perform, and record music. Through a curriculum integrating both guitar instruction and the history of American music, students build a heightened awareness of the influences that have shaped today's music and culture. In its fifth year, the Americana Project has made a positive impact on the lives of over 750 young people both in class and as part of the overall program. The students are immersed in expressing themselves through songwriting and as a part of the curriculum write their own original songs.Opportunities to perform and be part of the Sisters community in celebrating art and self expressionare driving the intergenerational participation in creating music and community involvement. The program now includes an elementary, middle, and high school component where simultaneously 60 students are participating each trimester.
Core Class: American Roots Music, Songwriting and Guitar
- Offered all year at Sisters High School and Middle School, and two trimesters at Sisters Elementary.
- Over 260 students have participated in learning to play guitar, write songs, record and perform in the traditional high school class.
- Over 70 students have performed original work in public performances.
- The class has produced community concerts showcasing their own work and the music of touring professionals.
- Community members act as guest artists reinforcing the intergenerational appreciation for music and the creative arts, and providing opportunities for professional artists to mentor young aspiring artists.
- In September 2003, released The Americana Project "Breakthrough" CD, ten original songs of student work and seven songs by professionals that have worked with the students, including photography, artwork and graphic design by Sisters High School students.
- In June 2005, in collaboration with the Sisters High School English Department, the arts and literary magazine "Verbatim" was released, which included an all original CD of 18 songs written, recorded, performed and engineered by students.
- Through grants from the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation, PGE Foundation and the Samuel S. Johnson foundation the Americana Project now owns 32 acoustic guitars, 2 acoustic basses, 2 mandolins, 2 banjos, 1 steel guitar, and 3 African Djembes.
- The Sisters Folk Festival Americana Project class projects over 80 students sign up for the class each year, and remains one of the most sought-after elective classes by students.
Integrated Curriculum
Creative Educational Resources, in conjunction with Sisters School District, has developed an integrated curriculum including history, creative writing, video production, art and website design. The Program director consults with existing teachers who adopt the curriculum and integrate it into their existing curriculum over the course of the school year.
Additional Accomplishments:
- The third annual Americana Song Academy was offered to further the vision and mission of the Americana Project, by creating a 3-day workshop academy for songwriting. Students receive scholarships for their fee to work with world-class musicians, instructors and performers.
- Received a 2004 "Artie Award" from Arts Central for excellence in Arts and Education in Central Oregon
- Created a DVD to show sponsors and collaborative partners the success of the Americana Project.
- In April, 2005 the Americana Project was featured on Oregon Art Beat as an innovative arts program in Oregon communities.
Fundraising:
The Americana Community Themed Art Project over the past four years:
- "Painted Strings" in 2001-2002 raised over $17,000 for the program art pieces from unplayable guitars.
- "Kite Strings" in 2003 raised $18,000 for the Sisters community for arts opportunities for young people.
- "My Own Two Hands" in 2004 was enthusiastically received and raised over $40,000 to help support numerous creative arts in the community of Sisters.
- "My Own Two Hands - Make Time" in 2005 was a grand success including participation of over 120 local, regional and student artists from Sisters and raised over $80,000 for programming and expansion.
- The Americana Project recently received a $10,000 grant from the Lifeboat Foundation of Chicago for hardware and program costs to create a fully functioning recording studio at Sisters High School
- Awarded a new baby Grand Piano Sisters through the Snowman Foundation in Portland , Oregon to be housed at Sisters High School for the students and music community.
- Received a $12, 000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation to create and implement a strings program in the elementary and middle schools in Sisters.
Need More Information? Contact Us!
For information, or to be a sponsor please email Brad Tisdel, call the Sisters Folk Festival Office 541.549.4979 for more information.
info@sistersarts.org
Sisters Folk Festival, Inc.
PO Box 3500, PMB 304
Sisters, Oregon 97759
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AMERICANA COMMUNITY THEMED ART PROJECTS VISIT: www.sistersarts.org
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