The bus is here! The Art Bus visited Arcoíris Cultural, a program of Olalla Center, on March 25th during a perfect spring day. With the intention of connecting with our community, the Bus arrived with activities and art supplies for children and families. In this post, we reflect on what the Art Bus is, what happened during this event, and the future of Arcoíris Cultural and the Art Bus.
How did you find out about the Art Bus?
We found out about the Art Bus through Jason Holland, the director of the Performing Arts Center (PAC). He visited Arcoíris Cultural and told us that the bus was looking to connect more with the Latinx and indigenous communities. Afterwards, we decided to collaborate with that team to make this event a reality for our community.
Who is in charge of the Art Bus?
The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts (OCCA), who run the PAC and other performing arts locations. The OCCA is also responsible for organizing theater and arts events within the Oregon Coast communities.
What kind of services does the Bus provide?
The Art Bus was created with the purpose of improving access to art for children in Lincoln County. They accomplish this by bringing art activities to communities where many children and families may not have the means or the supplies to create art. Since the events are completely free and the bus can go anywhere, it opens the door to the Latinx and indigenous community as well as other underserved populations. Through this process, a connection is formed between these communities and the OCCA and as time goes by, this connection will gradually grow stronger.
How was the event that day?
The event was very successful. The weather was amazing, it was a very clear and sunny day. There were also many people participating as volunteers and many people came to enjoy the event itself.
Who participated in the event? What did they think?
Most of the people who came to the event were families from the Latinx and indigenous communities. There were many mothers with their babies and children. The atmosphere was festive and everyone had a great time with the Art Bus. Everyone participated in the activities and after the event was over, they took extra materials home.
Would you host another event with the Bus or something similar in the future?
Of course, the Bus has found a new stop! The organizers have already told us that they want to return and bring culturally diverse and appropriate activities for the Latinx and indigenous population in the summer! Thank you Art Bus!
More information about the Art Bus can be found here: https://coastarts.org/visual-arts-center/art-bus/ .