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Lawrence Arts Center facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Lawrence Arts Center is a super cool place in Lawrence, Kansas, USA! It's like a big home for all kinds of art, including visual art, dance, theater, movies, and interesting talks. They have awesome classes in ballet, modern dance, acting, and drawing, all following national standards. More than 120 amazing artists teach here, and they help other artists learn and grow. Every year, about 10,000 students come to learn, and over 200,000 people visit or watch shows!

History of the Arts Center

The Lawrence Arts Center first opened its doors in May 1974. For a while, it was located in the old Carnegie Library building.

A New Home for Art

In 2002, the Arts Center moved into a brand new, much bigger building. This new space is huge, with 40,000 square feet just for art! It has:

  • Three art galleries to show off amazing artwork.
  • A main theater with 300 seats for big shows.
  • A smaller "Black Box" theater with 100 seats for more experimental plays.
  • Two dance studios where you can learn all sorts of moves.
  • Seven visual arts studios for painting, sculpting, and more.
  • Two classrooms for young children to explore art.

Special Programs and Events

The Arts Center offers many cool programs. Artists can even live and work there for a year, focusing on things like printmaking or ceramics. Some of the popular yearly events include:

  • Summer Youth Theatre: Where young actors put on fantastic plays.
  • Lawrence Dance Intensive: A special program for serious dancers.
  • Free State Festival: A big party celebrating movies, music, art, and new ideas!

Leaders of the Arts Center

The first person to lead the Lawrence Arts Center was Ann Evans. She helped start the center and guided it until 2007. After her, David L. Leamon and Susan Tate took on the role of Executive Director. Susan Tate used to be a teacher at Lawrence High School. Kimberly Williams also led the center for a time. Since 2018, Margaret Weisbrod Morris has been the Chief Executive Officer, helping the Arts Center continue to grow and inspire.

Images for kids

  • The Lawrence Arts Center

    Lawrence Arts Center - Current location (2002-Present)

  • Old Lawrence Library

    Carnegie Library - Former home of the Lawrence Arts Center (1975 - 2002)

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