Introducing the Aioli Dinner Supper Club

The Aioli Dinner Supper Club

We are pleased to announce that on March 14, 2015, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts will be hosting the first in a series of historically-inspired dinners that will pay homage to George Rodrigue's iconic "Aioli Dinner" painting and raise funds for our Louisiana A+ Schools program.

The beautiful grounds of Shadows on the Teche will serve as the first location for the Aioli Dinner Supper Club. Located in New Iberia on the banks of the Bayou Teche, The Shadows is a registered home with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and was built in 1834.

Shadows on the Teche

George Rodrigue was born and raised in New Iberia and painted the folklore and traditions of his hometown, capturing the ancient Live Oaks and unique culture of Cajun country. We are excited to kick off the Supper Club in the landscape that inspired Rodrigue throughout his career.

After New Iberia, the dinners will occur across the state, with some hosted in private residences and others in restaurants and historic homes.

www.aiolidinner.com

A Message on the 2015 Art Contest by Executive Director Jacques Rodrigue

This concise PSA is brought to you by Cox Communications, a sponsor of this year's Art Contest. As part of our annual Art Contest, we will be awarding $45,000 in college scholarships to finalists.

If you know any creative high school juniors or seniors in Louisiana, encourage them to submit an original work of art on the theme "Louisiana's Music." The deadline to enter is February 12, 2015!

Special Thanks to LPFA!

We are so grateful to the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority for their continued support of our annual Art Contest program. Once again they have generously supported the Art Contest with a donation of $25,000, helping us provide college scholarships to creative high school students across Louisiana. We applaud their commitment to education and the many other initiatives they support that enhance communities.

Jim Parks, Tricia Dubroc, and Martin Walke of LPFA stopped by the GRFA office this week to bring a donation of $25,000 for the 2015 Art Contest program.

2015 Art Contest Deadline is February 12th!

Art Contest Deadline is February 12, 2015

The deadline to enter our 2015 Art Contest for high school juniors and seniors is fast approaching! Until February 12th, we are accepting entries of original artwork related to the theme of "Louisiana's Music."

Finalists in this year's contest in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation will share $45,000 in scholarship awards! If you know a creative high school junior or senior in Louisiana, please let them know about this opportunity.

Click here for information about the guidelines for the 2015 Art Contest. Good luck to all of the students who have submitted their art!

NEW VIDEO: Students Talk Arts Integration and Louisiana A+ Schools

Why do students love GRFA's Louisiana A+ Schools program? See for yourself how arts integration is transforming their academic experience.

Irvin Mayfield, a New Video, and a Cooking Demo!

Irvin Mayfield Inspires Homer Elementary School

Last week, the students of Homer Elementary School in Homer, LA, welcomed a very special guest to their classrooms. Irvin Mayfield, a Grammy and Billboard Award-winning jazz trumpeter, was there to see first-hand how arts integration is transforming this Turnaround Arts: Louisiana school.

As one of three Turnaround Arts schools in the state, Homer Elementary School has been adopted by Turnaround Artists like Mayfield, who seek to inspire students to pursue their academic goals through the arts, as well as draw attention to the impact the arts are having on their school's revitalization.

In 2014, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts was selected by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to implement the Turnaround Arts initiative at three schools in the state using the Louisiana A+ Schools method of arts integration. Already the teachers and students of our Turnaround A+ Schools are embracing the arts in curriculum -- creative projects line the halls, music can be heard in classrooms, and student engagement is reaching new heights.

New Video:  Louisiana A+ Schools Students Talk Arts Integration, Academic Success, and FUN

We are pleased to present a new video featuring the students of Louisiana A+ Schools! Hear their perspectives on how arts integration transforms their classrooms, improves their academic performance, and brings out the best in students.

Free Cooking Demo on Saturday

Join us Saturday at Williams-Sonoma in Lakeside Mall for a free cooking demonstration with Chef Jason Ameen of Palace Café! Chef Ameen will be preparing Blueberry Coffee BBQ Sauce, a unique recipe featured in The Pot & The Palette Cookbook.

 

2015 LAA+ Application Process NOW OPEN!

2015 LAA+ Application Process Now Open!

"We are thrilled to grow the A+ Network in Louisiana," says Jacques Rodrigue, Executive Director of GRFA. "We believe LAA+, the first whole-school, arts-integrated reform initiative of its kind for our state, has the potential to influence the way that all Louisiana students are taught."

How To Apply

If your school is interested in applying to be part of LAA+ Schools, the statewide application process first requires schools to submit a Letter of Interest to the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts. A link to this form, along with the 4 steps to the application process, can be found at www.aplusla.org.

Letters of interest are due January 23, 2015.

Please be aware that schools applying to LAA+ will be asked to provide a $75,000 payment that can be distributed over three years. Full and partial scholarships are available on a needs basis. Schools accepted into the LAA+ Schools make a commitment to a three-year implementation process. This includes customized professional development training for full faculty based on the school's needs, attendance at an annual LAA+ Summer Institute (including room and board), professional development for school leadership, and art supplies for the entire school. A sampling of schools may also be asked to participate in a 3-year quasi-experimental evaluation.

Click Here To Register

Deadline to Enter 2015 Art Contest is February 12!

George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts will award $45,000 in college scholarships to students whose artwork best represents Louisiana's Music! If you are a high school junior or senior in Louisiana, we invite you to submit an original work of art.

Thank you to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation for being our 2015 Art Contest partner!