COUNCIL REORGANIZES ITS ANNUAL ARTS, CRAFTS FAIR

Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts' 22nd annual spring arts and crafts fair has been reorganized into a spring arts festival.

The festival, titled "Show Me the Arts," will include live performances, fine arts and crafts exhibitors, and hourly attendance prize drawings.

"Show Me the Arts" will be housed at the Show Me Center and will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 11-12.

"We've moved our annual spring craft fair to the Show Me Center so we can present performing arts as well as visual arts and crafts," said Beverly Strohmeyer, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts. "And it will be a showcase of talent from all over the area."

Performing arts will include dancers from the Academy of Dancearts, Red Rockers Square Dancers and Royale Ballet. The Heartland Songwriters will play original pieces and young musicians from several schools will perform.

Local arts organizations will have display booths provide community awareness of all the art opportunities in the area.

Along with the performances will be the annual spring arts and crafts fair featuring artists and craftsmen from seven states.

Exhibitors are donating items to be given away in hourly attendance prize drawings. Students from Southeast Missouri State University's mass communications department will emcee the event.

Admission is $1 for adults. Students and children under age 18 are admitted free.

Proceeds are used by the arts council to match tax dollars from the Missouri Arts Council and provide educational opportunities and arts events for children, senior citizens and the general public.