Grant provides resident artists to Alt Center

Murielle Wyman, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, is all smiles as she presents a $20,000 "check" to representatives of Cape Public Schools' Alternative Education Center (AEC) recently. Accepting the check are AEC Principal Scott McMullen, left, and Art Instructor Lawrence Brookins, who coordinated with Wyman to secure the grant. The funds will bring arts-related extracurricular activities to students of AEC.

"This is such an exciting opportunity to work with a group of students who really don't have opportunities to work one-on-one with nationally-acclaimed artists," Wyman said. The grant will support the mission of the Arts Council by allowing the organization to host an artist-residency program in conjunction with classes offered at the AEC. The program will feature three different artists across a variety of disciplines for week-long residencies at the school during the spring semester.

The Arts Council, well known for its First Friday gallery openings and Children's Arts Festival, "strives to educate and encourage meaningful relationships between artists and the community," Wyman said. She acknowledged the National Endowment for the Arts for its support of the grant.

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