ABOUT
PAINT THE TOWN
For one Saturday, each September, Morrison’s
downtown is transformed into an outdoor canvas for hundreds
of amateur artists of all ages who gather to Paint the
Town. The Children’s Art Preservation Association
created this unique family art event as a way for the
community to participate in the arts together, as families
and individuals. The focus of the event is the painting
of five- foot squares on and around Morrison’s Main
Street. The number of squares painted has grown steadily
since the event’s debut in 1994, when 250 squares
were painted, to 1,375 squares by more than 1,500 children,
families and individuals during Paint the Town 2008. More
than 6,000 attend the event annually to enjoy the painting,
variety of entertainment, and great food. To celebrate
its 16th season, the 2010 event will offer 1,500 squares
for painting; each a frame and canvas ready to receive
the original work of these artists.
HOW IT WORKS
Participants can register to paint a masterpiece
alone or with a friend. For a modest registration fee
(local and regional sponsors help keep the cost affordable
for all), participants receive an assigned 5 foot by 5
foot square on the street, and an event bag containing
all the supplies needed to paint: a primary color water
based tempera paint set plus black and white, one narrow
brush for lining and one wide brush for filling, chalk
for sketching, cups, stirrers and instructions for mixing
colors, a logo T-shirt (a new logo is developed each year),
and giveaway goodies from sponsors. Pre-registration is
advised with a deadline approximately one day before the
event. Registrations at a slightly higher fee are accepted
the day of the event and during the event as “walk-ons”.
All registrations are taken on a first-come, first-served
basis.
Painting begins at Noon and continues
until the artists finish their work, usually by 7 PM.
It is not unusual, however, to find a few still working
into the evening. These artists paint their squares with
an enthusiasm and intensity that can be seen in their
faces and the art that they create.
Three music venues and food courts provide
the perfect accompaniment to the painting. Entertainment
spans the day from 12 Noon into the evening with music
chosen to support the visual arts activities. Both professional
and amateur musicians perform and a wide variety of music
styles and rhythms are featured to encourage an appreciation
for the diversity of the arts. In addition, street performers
ensure that no matter where the painters are, they are
within eye and earshot of music, a magician, balloon artist
or mime. When the painting is finished the music continues
under the stars and provides the backdrop for dancing
and strolling the street to admire the artwork.
The next day the streets are again blocked
to vehicular traffic to allow art lovers to safely stroll
the street and view the finished art.
Paint the Town attracts an audience in
excess of 6,000 visitors annually who come to paint and
view the art. Community, friends, family and visitors
enjoy this unique outdoor gallery for months as they stroll
the street until the art fades leaving the canvas ready
for next year.
MISSION AND HISTORY
Founded in 1993, the Children’s
Art Preservation Association (CAPA) exists to serve both
young artists and the community. The board is made up
of local educators and citizens who believe that children
deserve recognition and encouragement for their creative
work in the visual arts.
To provide this recognition CAPA, as a
not for profit organization, devotes it's resources to
preserving and displaying the art of Children in the Morrison
community, sponsors activities that promote and encourage
participation in the visual arts, supports the work of
local artists and partners with local schools to create
programs that expand opportunities for instruction and
appreciation of the visual arts. All of CAPA’s goals,
events and programs are designed to add new artistic dimension
and enrich the life of the community. All proceeds from
events are directed back into the community in support
of this mission.
CAPA has been recognized by the Illinois
Alliance for Art Education for it's development of Paint
the Town and supported by grants from the Illinois Arts
Council. Paint the Town has also been featured in the
National Main Street Program’s publication on notable
festivals and events, and Quad City Public Television
Station, WQPT’s weekly journal, Living in Iowa.
For more information on CAPA or Paint
the Town, you may contact:
• Barbara Bees, 815. 772.2670,
• CAPA
P.O. Box 45, Morrison, IL 61270,
• The City of Morrison, 815.772.7657
• or visit CAPA and the event on
the web at www.morrisoncapa.org
WHAT IS CAPA?
The Children’s Art Preservation
Association (CAPA) exists to serve both our young artists
and our community. Local educators and citizens who believed
that children deserve recognition and encouragement for
their creative work in the visual arts founded CAPA in
the fall of 1993. To provide this recognition and to support
the visual arts, CAPA as a not–for-profit organization,
devotes its resources to preserving and displaying the
art of Children in the Morrison Community, sponsors activities
that promote and encourage participation in the visual
arts, supports the work of local artists and partners
with local schools to create programs/curriculum that
expand instruction and appreciation of the visual arts
in our schools.
ABOUT CAPA’S GOALS
CAPA exists to serve both our young artists
and our community. By exhibiting their work and offering
opportunities to participate in the process we hope to
reward our children for their effort, instill in them
an appreciation for the expressive variety of the visual
arts and illustrate the role the visual arts play in our
lives. Practically every consumer product, every package,
every CD and its case, every book, every brochure, and
every “anything” has been graced by the artist’s
touch. Art appears in our museums, but also parks in our
garages, and sits on our countertops and coffee tables.
By making art available to the community
we believe we are providing the feedback needed to complete
the artistic process. Art needs to be looked at, pondered
and appreciated and the feedback is all the more immediate
and gratifying when provided by those you know. CAPA values
the work of children and their accomplishments and heralds
that value to the community and others.
All of CAPA’s goals, events and programs are designed
to provide appreciation and encouragement to our children,
add new artistic dimension and enrich the life of the
community.
WHAT ARE CAPA’S PROJECTS?
CAPA’s ongoing support includes
preserving, framing and exhibiting our young artists work
in local schools and public buildings. Currently, this
collection contains some 200 pieces that span over 25
years of award winning, and notable student art. By exhibiting
their art we hope to reward our children for their efforts,
instill in them an appreciation for the expressive variety
of the visual arts and illustrate the role the visual
arts play in our lives. By making their work available
to the community we provide the feedback needed to complete
the artistic process: to be looked at, pondered and appreciated
– all the more supportive and immediate when provided
by the community in which they live.
CAPA’s first project was an art
auction, A Night for Art, a gala evening bringing together
artists, patrons and the community to provide a financial
basis for the organization. Over $14,000 (a considerable
sum for a rural community of 4,500) was raised and used
for framing student art, and for the purchase of video
equipment for the school district’s three art departments
enabling art history to be incorporated into the curriculum
on a regular basis.
In 1994, CAPA created an event called
Paint the Town to provide an opportunity for the community
to participate in the arts together, as families and individuals.
The focus of the event is the painting of five-foot squares
on Morrison’s Main Street. In 2003, Paint the Town
celebrated its 10th anniversary with 968 squares were
painted by over 1,500 children, families and individuals
covering five blocks of Morrison’s Main Street business
district.
Late in 2003, CAPA lost several board
members due to job and life commitments. Lacking enough
board members to adequately plan the event, remaining
board members took a year to restructure. Community volunteers
responded to CAPA’s request to help keep the event
going and plan for 2005. As a result, CAPA Board members
and community volunteer members created a new, and much
larger, Paint the Town board. The refreshed 2005 event
was so successful and registrations grew so far over the
expected 1000 squares that another 100 were added during
the week before the event. A total of 1060 squares were
painted. Going into it's 15th year, this festival continues
to grow in size and has become the most popular local
event of the year, with attendance in excess of 6,000.
With the participation of regional television and media
sponsors it has gained popularity as a regional event.
In 2008, 1,375 squares were painted. Paint the Town will
provide 1,500 squares for the 2009 event to be held on
Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20th.
As a not-for-profit organization, all
proceeds from Paint the Town are used to support CAPA’s
programs and events.
In 1997, CAPA received and award from
the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education for Paint the
Town and in 2000 CAPA received a Special Assistance Grant
from the Illinois Arts Council in support of the event.
Citing the originality of the event, in 2001 the Illinois
Municipal League invited the City of Morrison to display
information about Paint the Town at the League’s
yearly convention in Chicago. Members of CAPA and City
staff put together a display booth to showcase Paint the
Town for the Convention’s Innovations Showcase Area.
Of 12 communities invited to present, Morrison was the
only small, rural community represented.
Additionally, Paint the Town has been listed in the National
Main Street Program’s national listing of festivals
and events publication.
In 1995, the organization created an annual
art scholarship for a high school senior planning to major
in the visual arts. Initially a $300 award, in 2002-2003
the scholarship amount increased to $500, with an option
to award two scholarships if enough students applied.
With the success of Paint the Town, scholarship funding
has increased greatly. As a result, two qualified applicants
in the 2008 graduating class were each awarded $1,000
scholarships. This year, through a generous bequest from
the Frank Kelly Memorial, CAPA / Paint the Town was able
to award 3 - $1,000 scholarships to graduating Morrison
High School Students
In 1996 CAPA, in conjunction with the
elementary school art instructor, School Administration,
Parent Teacher Organization, and the Morrison Education
Foundation created an artist in residency program. Funding
has been provided by these organizations and through grants
from the Illinois Arts Council.
Artists come from the Illinois Arts Council
artist’s roster and have provided instruction in
diverse disciplines from visual arts (drawing, clay tile
art) to story-telling and artistic movement and dance.
CAPA seeks to feature the work of local
artists in an annual series of art shows. Since 1996,
these events have showcased the work of more than 10 artists
in mediums such as oils, acrylics, calligraphy, charcoal,
pen and ink and watercolors. Since 2002, these shows have
been enhanced with the addition of student art from all
Morrison schools, K-12. Now called the Spring Art Show,
the event features hundreds of pieces of student art as
well as artwork of a local artist or an artist that has
produced work featuring Morrison. Structuring the shows
to feature student and professional art greatly increases
the audience that attends shows and also exposes our students
and young artists to the work of professionals in the
visual arts. Attendance has grown to over 700 at these
shows and students look forward to the shows as a way
to show their family and peers their work.
In 2000 CAPA co-sponsored The Muse; the
first student produced arts magazine featuring the written
and visual work of our high school students. This publication
was published for four years before ceasing with a reduction
in the high school budget and art staff.
Most recently, CAPA has partnered with
the City of Morrison’s recreation program to create
a series of summer art classes. Both local and regional
artists have been used to teach a one-day class on clay
art and a four-day series on paper maché masks.
The success of these classes was the catalyst for more
community art programs in 2003. An artist and teacher
from the Davenport, Iowa taught a weeklong exploration
of medieval art and culture for children in the elementary
to jr. high grades. The culmination of the class was a
medieval festival complete with shields that had been
made by each student. Due to a reduction in board size
and concentration on Paint the Town the recreation programs
were not organized in 2004 and 2005 and remain on hiatus
until new board members are added.
Since its organization in 1993 and the
initial Night for Art event, CAPA has provided funds for
the purchase of art equipment and supplies in addition
to yearly school district curriculum spending. This supplemented
school funding has allowed for curriculum expansion and
greater display of student art in the schools. Most recently,
three electric pottery wheels were added to the high school
and drying racks purchased for the elementary and high
school programs as well as several eight-foot display
board for the junior high program. Current projects in
progress are funding the construction of 2 Raku kilns
for the High School program, purchase of drawing boards
and prisma color pencils and additional large display
boards for the Jr. High Program, and several large display
boards for the Elementary School program. In addition,
a collaborative purchase of 5 sets of display boards on
casters will aide each department in increasing visibility
to students, parents and the community by making displays
of student art more portable.
Partial support for student art field
trips and art a workshop is also provided by a yearly
grant from CAPA / Paint the Town. Funding for these purchases
and programs was provided by Paint the Town profits.
CAPA is committed to continuing its work to promote the
visual arts and, in collaboration with other organizations,
to promote all of the arts. Existing programs will be
maintained, evaluated and improved to meet the organization’s
goals while incorporating new ideas and venues. In addition,
several new programs are being explored. These include
expanding assistance to the arts curriculum in the schools,
increasing financial support to the Scholarship Program,
additional framing and placement of student art in public
buildings and businesses, and continuing development /
expansion of Paint the Town.
For more information about CAPA – please visit our
website at: www.morrisoncapa.org
