Arts Council of the Valley announced a new milestone for the Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley program, which was recently designated an independent 501(c)3 organization.
Created in 2014 as Any Given Child Harrisonburg and driven by a commitment to arts access and equity, the program is a community partnership with the Education and National Partnership offices of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
Harrisonburg was the 15th site in the nation selected by the Kennedy Center to participate.
In 2018, the initiative refocused to include Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County students in grades K-8, changing its name to Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley to reflect the broader scope. At the same time, AGCSV began operating as a program area under the ACV umbrella, which allowed for cost savings through shared administrative services.
“ACV is thrilled to have provided a home for this important program over the past few years,” ACV Executive Director Jenny Burden said. “And we’re excited about the growth in resources and capacity that have now set the stage for Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley to thrive on its own.”
AGCSV Manager J.R. Snow has guided the local program since its inception, working to provide thousands of students each year with live arts experiences. Snow has also spearheaded the highly successful Lip Sync Battle fundraising effort, using proceeds to provide additional arts opportunities for public school students.
The vision of AGCSV is for all K-8 students in Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County to have an arts-rich education that supports and encourages students to creatively connect and explore the value, relevance, and impact of the arts. “We believe quality arts instruction, rich in diverse art forms and cultural experiences, empowers students to be engaged, passionate, and successful,” Snow explained.
“Even though our organizations will now function separately,” Burden noted, “we continue to share the common goal of providing meaningful arts experiences to area students, and I’m sure we’ll find plenty of opportunities to dovetail our efforts.”
Snow echoed Burden’s collaborative theme: “We appreciate the support Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley has received as an Arts Council of the Valley program, even as we have worked toward becoming a fully independent organization.
“These two organizations believe deeply in the importance of the arts for people of all ages,” Snow added.
For more information on Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley, visit www.agcshenvalley.org.
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Chris Graham
