Well, we’ve been extraordinarily busy this month celebrating the arts by actually getting one performing arts event after another on our stage, 24 headline performances in all for October! The performances this month started on Saturday, October 1 with a Doo Wop concert, and ends this coming Sunday, October 30 with the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra, and in between we’ve had films, rock concerts, theatre for young audiences, a symphony orchestra, the original cast of a hit Broadway show, and more.
National Arts and Humanities Month is a coast-to-coast celebration of American culture, and within his proclamation of National Arts and Humanities Month, President Obama stated:
“Millions of Americans earn a living in the arts and humanities, and the non-profit and for-profit arts industries are important parts of both our cultural heritage and our economy...We must recognize the contributions of the arts and humanities not only by supporting the artists of today, but also by giving opportunities to the creative thinkers of tomorrow. Educators across our country are opening young minds, fostering innovation, and developing imaginations through arts education.”
What does this mean locally? Here are just two quick examples:
One, the arts are important for adults. Right here, the Count Basie Theatre’s activities last year had a $12 million impact on the local economy, supporting the full-time equivalent of over 300 jobs.
Two, the arts are especially important for children. Studies show that students with an arts rich education have better grade point averages, score better on standardized tests in reading and math, and have lower dropout rates. The Count Basie Theatre’s Outreach Program, providing free music, dance and theatre classes to over 500 students in the Red Bank Elementary and Middle Schools, helps make this possible right here.
Every time you buy a ticket to a show at the Basie, or make a tax deductible donation to the Basie, in addition to giving yourself an evening out and a temporary reprieve from reality outside the theatre’s doors, you’re supporting economic stimulus, and arts education for children. For more information about supporting the Basie, Click Here.
Numa C. Saisselin
CEO
Count Basie Theatre, Inc.
99 Monmouth StreetRed Bank, New Jersey 07701
Phone 732-224-8778, ext. 105
www.countbasietheatre.org
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