Church offers arts program in old school

2/19/15
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEPHEN B. THORNTON
Students including Caroline Ferguson, 6, center, and Kenlyee Ferguson, 5, bottom right, perform a skit during an acting class Thursday at the Little Rock School of the Arts in Little Rock.
2/19/15 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEPHEN B. THORNTON Students including Caroline Ferguson, 6, center, and Kenlyee Ferguson, 5, bottom right, perform a skit during an acting class Thursday at the Little Rock School of the Arts in Little Rock.

Christ Little Rock Church has repurposed a portion of the old Lutheran High School off Markham Street into a school of the arts for the community. Known as the Little Rock School of the Arts, the program offers lessons in music, art and drama for children and adults.

The school, which opens each weekday afternoon at 3, is a bridge ministry of the church, said Logan Brown, who serves as director. Brown also serves as youth minister at the church, which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

"What our goal is as a church is to create bridges that go into the community," Brown said. "We asked ourselves, 'What does our community need or desire and how can we fulfill those needs?' That's the best way we know how to be a church. It's what a church should be in the community."

Brown came to the church from Arizona, where he had seen a similar program that he thought would work well in Little Rock.

"I felt there was a huge need for that in the community and since I had seen something similar succeed, why not give it a shot," he said. "Pastor Dan [Hauser] and the rest of the staff here were all about it and agreed our community would thrive by us offering something like that."

The goal for the first year was to attract 30 students; less than three months in, the school has 26. Brown said many students have come for the Art of Play drama classes.

"They are learning to present themselves onstage and learning some self-confidence," Brown said. "We've seen that blossom, as well as continuing to get students from different parts of the community wanting to do violin, cello, drums and piano."

Assistant director Olivia Barnes, giving a tour of the facility, showed off the brightly decorated rehearsal rooms for lessons in guitar, drums, piano, voice, art and acting. There's also a large room for music lessons for other instruments.

Barnes said she hopes the setting in the former school building will appeal to those who aren't comfortable in a church.

"For some that can be intimidating," she said.

Barnes said lessons are available for all ages and for various skill levels, including those with no music experience. Instructors' pay comes directly from clients and the instructors and students work out a schedule for lessons. A 30-minute lesson is $30, 40 minutes are $40 and 50 minutes are $50. Instructors include musicians from the church and the community.

"Our organization is connecting students with instructors," Brown said. "We are the middleman in the network. We provide the space and financial stability for both sides of that relationship."

Brown said he hopes the school will continue to attract students and in turn connect families to Christ through music.

"We'd like to see that grow exponentially ... and get our campus hopping and moving and get a real presence on the corner of Markham and Hughes so people know we are there," he said.

The Little Rock School of the Arts is at 6711 W. Markham St. Information about the school, including registration for private or group lessons or one-day seminars, is available online at lrschoolofthearts.com.

Religion on 03/21/2015

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