Several months ago members of the Junction City Arts Council Board
of Directors began working on the first major fund-raiser that the Arts
Council has hosted in many years.
Plans are coming together for an exciting evening that includes a full
program of entertainment and activity.
The board selected the last weekend of February for what it hopes will
become an annual event.
“Each year we plan on having a Premier Ball,” said JCAC director
Gail Parsons. “While the Ball itself will become an annual event,
each year the ball will have a different theme.”
This year the theme is A Masquerade, but there will be consistencies year
to year and each ball will be a unique experience.
What is a Premier Ball?
The main consistency of the JCAC’s Premier Ball will be the presentation
of one Kansas Artist who shows extreme potential. Each year a competition
will be held to find one artist who is either a permanent or temporary
resident of the state. Emerging artists who are on the cusp of becoming
professional are qualified to enter.
“I expect most of our contestants will be college students, but
hope that others will also begin to enter,” Parsons said.
This year six artists competed, a number which Parsons said she and the
board were pleased with considering it was the first ever competition
of this nature that the JCAC hosted and what seems to be a one-of-a-kind
competition on a state level.
The award that the winning artist will receive includes assistance in
opening doors to the professional art world. This year several for-profit
galleries have agreed to view the winning artist’s work and provide
one-on-one consultations with that artist.
Arts Appreciation
Award
Another consistency of the Premier Ball will be the announcement
of an annual arts appreciation award. Each year at least one member of
the community will be nominated for a Governor’s Arts Award.
“I would like to keep the nominee a secret, but that is not always
going to be possible,” Parsons said.
In 2007, E.J. Rolfs received a Governor’s Award. Whether the JCAC
nominee actually wins the state award or not, the JCAC wants to recognize
its nominee at the Premier Ball. This year Charles Volland, one of the
charter members of the JCAC was nominated and will be recognized at the
Premier Ball for his contributions to the community’s arts programming
over the decades.
A Masquerade Ball
After long consideration the JCAC board of directors elected
to have a masquerade ball. This is not a costume party. The dress for
the evening is evening wear.
Masquerade balls have been common throughout Europe dating back to at
least the 15th century. They were associated with religious rites, royal
processions and elaborate parties in the medieval courts.
Masquerade balls changed in styles and traditions through the years and
cultures, but the two constants were the elaborateness of the ball and
the wearing of masks. Some are elaborate full-face masks; others are simple
and mask the eyes only.
The JCAC will hold to both traditions.
Buy or make your mask at the JCAC
The JCAC has several masks for sale, photos of ones that we can order,
and will host mask-making opportunities from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 9 and
5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 12. The cost for a mask or the blank masks and materials
is $10. We also know of the following Web sites at which masks can be
purchased www.maskitalia.com; www.fantasycostume.net/masksmasquerade.html;
www.visionsofvenice.com
Proceeds to benefit scholarships
Click here to Learn more about our
scholarships
All proceeds from this first Premier Ball will go toward the two new scholarship
funds. The arts council manages the Heaberlin Scholarship which is to
assist Geary County Youth who want to attend arts-related activities in
Geary County.
Two additional scholarships will help fund summer cams, workshops and
seminars; and higher education.
“The amount that will be available for distribution from the new
scholarships will be dependent on the turnout at the Premier Ball,”
Parsons said.
All proceeds from that event will go into the Harshbarger Scholarship
and the Junction City Arts Council’s Education Scholarship.
Entertainment
Live entertainment will begin at 7 p.m. with Howard Montgomery
and the Bob Daddies providing background and dance music.
“Throughout the evening we will also have a roving entertainer who
will do some juggling and stilt walk, and if permission is granted from
the fire department, will demonstrate a little fire eating,” Parsons
said.
Food and drink
Anyone familiar with the Arts Council knows that a lot of time and effort
is put into the food and beverage choices for each event. The Ball is
not a dinner; however there will be no lack of hors d’oeuvres.
The board spent several hours reviewing catering options and could not
find a single caterer they felt could provide the quality they were looking
for. Instead, hors d’oeuvres will come from several sources including
some of the counties finest cooks.
“What we did not want was the routine,” Parsons said. “We
were looking for people who would provide fresh foods, made with fresh
ingredients. Not pre-made frozen hors d’oeuvres purchased on line
or at a discount store and simply thrown in the microwave. I believe our
guests to this event deserve better than that.”
Unveiling the
new logo
One of the events of the evening will be the unveiling of
a new logo. The Arts Council had finding a new logo as one of its 2007
goals. An artist was commissioned to create a logo that would have the
versatility to be used with slight changes for the many art genres that
the JCAC works with.
To attend
The Premier Ball will be from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb.
23. Tickets are available for $60 at the Arts Council 762-2581 or jcartscouncil@yahoo.com.
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