Professional Development Coordinator Joins LAA+ Team
George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts is pleased to announce that Rachel Lock is our new Professional Development Coordinator for Louisiana A+ Schools! In this role, she will ensure consistency of all professional development functions involving LAA+ teachers, administrators, Fellows, and teaching artists.
LAA+ Welcomes Rachel Lock
Lock has a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She began her teaching career in 2008, where she developed an interest in using visual arts as a teaching strategy in her classroom. From there, she continued to expand her knowledge of arts integration in 2009 through the ICI Initiative, a program dedicated to promoting and modeling arts-integrated teaching strategies and ideas.
She has served on multiple arts integration committees, as well as most recently maintaining the role of Arts Liaison at her school. After witnessing first hand how the arts impacted her classroom, she decided to become a Louisiana A+ Schools Fellow in 2013. Since then, she has led multiple teams of Fellows during LAA+ Summer Institutes.
Print Donation Program
Does your charity or non-profit need a unique fundraising tool? GRFA's Print Donation Program is a wonderful and cost effective way to raise funds for your organization!
For a $500 donation to GRFA, you can choose from seven vibrant Rodrigue Estate Stamped silkscreen prints to use in an auction or raffle. If the print purchased does not provide the organization funds exceeding the original investment, it can be returned and GRFA will refund the $500. Since 2009, the Print Donation Program has helped over 1,000 charities raise over $3 million at their fundraising events.
These prints are not for sale through the Rodrigue Studio and are only accessible to the general public through this exclusive opportunity for non-profit and charity organizations.
The key to the success of our Louisiana A+ Schools (LAA+) program is the intensive, high-quality professional development that we provide to every educator in our statewide network of 18 schools.
This week at our Baton Rouge LAA+ Summer Institute, over 150 teachers from five schools joined our team for three full days of educational sessions, workshops, and special presentations where they developed the skills necessary to integrate the arts into all parts of the curriculum.
Teachers attended sessions on a variety of topics including strategic planning, the A+ Essentials, and more.
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Professional development sessions were led by our Louisiana A+ Schools Fellows, who are experts in arts integration. These individuals bring a variety of talents and experiences to the Summer Institute, and their leadership makes the LAA+ program so successful.
Our amazing LAA+ Fellows
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Schools that participated in this week's Summer Institute include:
St. Helena Arts & Technology Academy (Greensburg, LA)
We would like to give a big thank you to the Pennington Foundation for allowing us to host the Summer Institute on the beautiful campus of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.
As we plan for our Fall 2016 Aioli Dinner Supper Club events, we invite anyone who has attended an Aioli Dinner to complete a short online survey. Your feedback will help us create richer guest experiences as we celebrate the legacy of George Rodrigue and raise funds for Louisiana A+ Schools.
Thank you for your feedback and for supporting GRFA through the Aioli Dinner Supper Club! Please note, all survey responses will be anonymous.
For the next ten months, original artwork from our talented 2016 Art Contest finalists will go on tour at museums and cultural institutions across Louisiana. The sixteen pieces in "Louisiana Celebrates Carnival" were created by high school juniors and seniors, who shared $45,250 in college scholarships at a special awards ceremony this spring.
Don't miss the opportunity to see these amazing pieces in person!
Click here to see the 16 student finalists of the 2016 Art Contest.
Testimony and Awards at State Capital
On Monday May 23rd, Jacques Rodrigue, Executive Director, presented to the Louisiana State House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Thank you to the committee for their interest in arts in education. We look forward to working with the representatives of Louisiana government to gain additional public support for arts integration through our Louisiana A+ Schools program.
Executive Director Jacques Rodrigue delivers a special presentation to Appropriations Committee in Baton Rouge.
Bethany France Honored at 2016 Louisiana Culture Awards
Congratulations to Bethany France, Director of GRFA's Louisiana A+ Schools program, for recently winning the Arts Education Award at the 2016 Louisiana Culture Awards, hosted by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.
The Arts Education Award honors individuals and organizations that, through education efforts, helped broaden the appreciation for the importance and value of arts and traditions in Louisiana. We are thrilled that Bethany has been acknowledged for her commitment to the students and teachers of the state through her leadership of Louisiana A+ Schools.
(From Left to Right) Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Bethany France, Louisiana State Arts Council Chairperson Mary Lee, Louisiana Division of the Arts Director Cheryl Castille.
The students at Lake Charles Charter Academy welcomed the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts into their classrooms to see the Rodrigue-inspired artwork already adorning the halls. As a Louisiana A+ School, their entire faculty will receive intensive professional development in arts integration, and all subjects will be infused with the arts. We are thrilled to expand our network into the Lake Charles and St. Francisville communities!
(Top) Principal Pamela Quebodeaux speaks during LAA+ announcement at Lake Charles Charter Academy. (Bottom left) A student shares his artwork. (Bottom right) Executive Director Jacques Rodrigue spent the morning with students, reading "Why Is Blue Dog Blue?" and leading an art activity.
Louisiana A+ Schools is now accepting applications for the full-time position of Professional Development Coordinator.
The Professional Development Coordinator supports the vision, motivation, coordination, and evaluation for all academic training activities across the Louisiana A+ Schools (LAA+) program. Working in close partnership with LAA+ Directors, this position ensures consistency of all professional development functions involving LAA+ teachers, administrators, Fellows, and teaching artists.
On May 7th, the Aioli Dinner Supper Club gathered in Shreveport at the Frierson Plantation for a delicious meal to raise funds for GRFA's arts in education initiatives. With a generous matching grant from the Windgate Charitable Foundation, our Shreveport friends and supporters were able to raise $110,000 for Louisiana A+ Schools, our most ambitious statewide program.
Click here to view a photo album for the Shreveport Aioli Dinner Supper Club event.
Our photographer for the evening was Hunter Sloan, a scholarship recipient in the 2014 Art Contest, who is now pursuing an undergraduate degree in photography in California.
Thank you to the many people in Shreveport who made this dinner a tremendous success! We also extend our gratitude to Mary Harris, principal at South Highlands Elementary Magnet and Event Chair for the dinner. Her school is one of 18 in the Louisiana A+ Schools network that benefit from funds raised by the Aioli Dinner Supper Club.
The Aioli Dinner Supper Club would like to thank our Baton Rouge friends and supporters for making our May 4th Aioli Dinner such a memorable night. That evening, with a generous matching grant from the Windgate Charitable Foundation, we were able to raise $90,000 for Louisiana A+ Schools, our most ambitious statewide program.
Click here to view a photo album for the Baton Rouge Aioli Dinner Supper Club event.
With the expansion of the Louisiana A+ Schools program to 18 schools, the Aioli Dinner Supper Club is playing a crucial role in the number of teachers and students impacted by arts integration in the classroom. Thank you to our friends and sponsors who made this dinner a success!
We are excited to announce that the upcoming Shreveport Aioli Dinner event has SOLD OUT. Tickets are still available for the Baton Rouge Aioli Dinner on Wednesday, May 4th, but few seats remain. Get your tickets today and join the Aioli Dinner Supper Club for a special dining experience inspired by George Rodrigue's iconic "Aioli Dinner" painting.
Tickets are going fast for next week's Baton Rouge and Shreveport Aioli Dinner Supper Club events. Don't miss out on these special dining experiences inspired by George Rodrigue's iconic "Aioli Dinner" painting.
On Saturday, April 16th, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts awarded $45,250 in college scholarships to 16 talented Louisiana students. Finalists in the 2016 Art Contest represent cities across the state including Jefferson, Marrero, Gretna, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, DeRidder, Zachary, and Lafayette.
At the Awards Luncheon in New Orleans, these talented juniors and seniors accepted their scholarships, had their original artwork on display, and were treated to special presentation by author Wendy Rodrigue.
Congratulations to our 2016 Art Contest winners!
Junior and senior scholarship winners with Jacques Rodrigue at the Art Contest Luncheon in New Orleans.
Kourtney Aultman, our 1st place senior, was awarded a $6,000 scholarship.
Nathan Vogel placed first for the juniors.
Click here to view a photo album from the Luncheon and see the complete list of the scholarship winners in the 2016 Art Contest.
On the way to the museum, students visited the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, AR, for the Student Presidential Tour. Activities included an orientation film, a tour of the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, Life in the White House, and the current temporary exhibit.
(Top) Students from Homer Elementary School explore the galleries at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. (Bottom) Having fun while experiencing outdoor sculptures!
Through writing, discussion, and sketching, students analyzed sculptural works at Crystal Bridges to gain a deeper appreciation of three-dimentional art. They also had the opportunity to explore the museum's trails and enjoy outdoor artworks.
They then visited the Amazeum where their skilled education team actively interacted with students and chaperones to inspire curiosity and discoveries. On their trip back to Homer, LA, participants stopped in Little Rock and experienced the extremes of science with liquid nitrogen and vortex cannon demonstrations at the Arkansas Museum of Discovery.
Exploring Art at French Quarter Fest
What a beautiful weekend for French Quarter Festival! With a record attendance of over 750,000 people, many families made their way to the Chevron STEAM Zone to participate in hands-on projects that brought together science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
GRFA's team worked with children to create a "Life Cycle of an Oak Tree" and shared examples of the oak tree in the art of George Rodrigue.
We were so excited to partner with Chevron once again for this action-packed weekend!
(Top left) A young artist shares her completed "Life Cycle of an Oak Tree" project. (Top right) Hundreds of children and their parents visited GRFA at the Chevron STEAM Zone. (Bottom) GRFA's French Quarter Fest team included dedicated educators from our Louisiana A+ Schools program.
Saturday and Sunday: Join Us at French Quarter Fest
The weather will be beautiful this weekend for the 2016 French Quarter Festival in New Orleans! Once again, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts will be providing a hands-on art activity for families at the Chevron STEAM Zone. STEAM education brings together science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
Executive Director Jacques Rodrigue gets creative with students while making STEAM art projects at last year's French Quarter Festival.
For the past two weeks, local celebrities and community leaders have been visiting the GRFA office to serve as final round judges for the 2016 Scholarship Art Contest. This year's contest theme, in partnership with the Krewe of Orpheus, is "Louisiana Celebrates Carnival."
We are so grateful to these individuals sharing their time, expertise, and enthusiasm -- and for supporting our mission to advocate for youth through arts in education!
Final Round Judges Include:
Laura Ashley, Jones Walker Law Firm
Chef John Besh, Besh Restaurant Group
Sonny Borey, Krewe of Orpheus
Susan Brennan, Second Line Stages
Nadine Blake, Nadine Blake New Orleans
Simon Blake, Nadine Blake New Orleans
Michelle M. Carolla, New Orleans Auction Galleries
Martine Chaisson, Martine Chassion Gallery
Marilyn Dittman, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Clancy Dubos, Gambit Weekly
Margo Dubos, Gambit Weekly
Tricia Dubroc, Louisiana Public Facilities Authority
Derek Franklin, Krewe of Orpheus
Dathel Georges, The Advocate
David Harouni, Harouni Gallery
Jessie Haynes, The Helis Foundation
Jane Scott Hodges, Leontine Linens
Ben Jaffe, Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Jelena James, New Orleans Auction Galleries
Ashley Longshore, Ashley Longshore Gallery
Paul Leaman, New Orleans Silversmiths
Irvin Mayfield, New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
Renee Maxwell, Krewe of Orpheus, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
James Michalopoulos, Michalopoulos Gallery
Barbara Motley, Louisiana State Arts Council
Biff Motley, Motley & Associates, Inc.
Terrance Osborne, Terrance Osborne Art
Alexa Pulitzer, Alexa Pulitzer LLC
Miranda Restovic, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
Robyn Dunn Schwarz, Matthew Clayton Brown
Michael Smith, Ashley Longshore Gallery
Gary Solomon, Jr., The Solomon Group
Artist Terrance Osborne scores original pieces made by Louisiana high school juniors.
Chef John Besh stopped by to participate as a final round judge.
Members of the Krewe of Orpheus look at pieces made by high school seniors.
Winners of the contest will be announced on April 16th at the Scholarship Awards Luncheon in New Orleans! The sixteen student finalists will share $45,000 in college scholarships.
Tickets to the luncheon are now available to the public.
On Saturday, April 16th, at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, GRFA is hosting the 2016 Art Contest Luncheon to honor this year's 16 student finalists and award over $45,000 in college scholarships. Tickets to the Luncheon are now available to the public. Purchase yours today!
The Aioli Dinner Supper Club is coming to three Louisiana cities this spring: Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and New Orleans! Join us for a wine-paired, four-course dinner inspired by George Rodrigue's iconic "Aioli Dinner" painting. These unique culinary experiences support the arts in education initiatives of the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts.
May 4, 2016
Baton Rouge, LA
Hosted by Randy K. Haynie
Honorary Host: Taylor Barras, Louisiana Speaker of the House
Thank you to all of the students who entered the Scholarship Art Contest this year! We received over 600 entries from across the state for the theme of Louisiana Celebrates Carnival.
Sixteen (16) finalists have been selected by our first round of judges. These high school juniors and seniors will share $45,250 in college scholarships, and one will be featured as the official 2017 poster for the Krewe of Orpheus.
Scholarships will be given out at our Awards Luncheon on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.
Yesterday, 2nd-grade students from Martin Behrman Charter School had a special morning at the Rodrigue Studio gallery in New Orleans. As part of our Louisiana A+ Schools network, they were the first people to see a newly curated exhibition "Rodrigue: Celebrating Music" which showcases music-themed paintings from throughout George Rodrigue's career.
GRFA Executive Director Jacques Rodrigue gave a behind-the-scenes tour to the students, sharing the stories and musicians that inspired the paintings.
Students were then treated to a private concert by the amazing musicians of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, who introduced the traditional music styles of New Orleans and discussed how they have shaped the history of the city. The Preservation Hall Foundation, which advocates for music education and preserving New Orleans' rich musical heritage, graciously partnered with GRFA for this special event.
"Rodrigue: Celebrating Music" opens to the public today and will remain on view through May 15, 2016. In addition to original paintings, this exhibition features the Rodrigue Steinway, which George Rodrigue created to fundraise for arts education in Louisiana.
The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) advocates the importance of the visual arts in the development of our youth.GRFA encourages the use of art within all curriculums and supports a variety of art educational programs.
