HR1443 LRB094 21664 HSS 60050 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the
3 State of Illinois are pleased to recognize the 45th anniversary
4 of the Centralia Cultural Society; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The Centralia Cultural Society has been serving
6 the Centralia area since 1961; its mission is to connect arts
7 with the community and the community with the arts through
8 appreciation, education, exhibition, and performance; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The Society achieves its mission through its four
10 member groups, the Little Theatre Players, Choral Society,
11 Philharmonic Orchestra, and Palette & Brush Club/Light & Lens;
12 Society membership consists of about 400 volunteers in the four
13 groups and 350 patrons that provide financial support; the
14 organization is nearly completely supported by the local
15 community; and
 
16     WHEREAS, In 1971, the Society constructed an Arts Center
17 that was expanded in 1981; another expansion is planned and
18 fundraising has begun; the Society is also assisting in the
19 re-opening of the downtown theatre for arts performances; and
 
20     WHEREAS, In 1992, with the elimination of many of the area
21 school arts programs, the Society began an Arts in Education
22 program; in the summer of 1995, the Picture Person program was
23 planned and implemented with the cooperation of the Centralia
24 City Schools; it has been steadily expanded each year with
25 volunteers working in six area schools; grants have been
26 written for many artist residencies; and
 
27     WHEREAS, The Society's school programs are offered either
28 free of charge or for a small fee for the theatre performances;
29 each year, the organization provides between six and eight live
30 theatre professional productions for 25 to 30 schools in a

 

 

HR1443 - 2 - LRB094 21664 HSS 60050 r

1 radius of 35 miles; in addition, four or five community theatre
2 productions are given each season; there are four community
3 orchestra concerts a year, three art shows (all local artists),
4 and three community choral concerts, as well as several special
5 events; the group's building is used over 300 times during the
6 year and average attendance at all events is approximately
7 50,000; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The Society usually employs two student interns
9 during the summer, offers yearly scholarships to students
10 pursuing a career in the arts, holds a Young Artist Competition
11 every other year, offers a Summer Arts Camp each June, and
12 offers Suzuki group and private lessons to both adults and
13 children in the area; the Society's newsletter, published four
14 times a year, is mailed to over 3,000 area households; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The group will celebrate its 45th anniversary on
16 Saturday, October 14, 2006; therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19 we recognize the 45th anniversary of the Centralia Cultural
20 Society; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22 presented to the Society as an expression of our esteem.