The Missouri Fine Arts Academy provides a unique program of artistic, extracurricular, and social opportunities to Missouri's talented high school students, and has done so since 1996. Click here to learn more about MFAA...
"I look at the website every summer and feel nostalgic about my years there as a student, RA, and RA Director. . . . It was an amazing part of my life. I am graduating medical school in May. . . . With some time to reflect recently, I realize how important the arts still are to me and I know... " Click here to read more
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—alert— posted: 1/7/2009 10:00:00 AM | updated:
LEGISLATIVE ALERT
» » ACT NOW « «
As the legislative season begins, Missouri’s Governor and legislators have the unenviable task of ensuring that Missouri’s budget is balanced in this extremely challenging economic environment. Among the Fiscal Year 2010 items in jeopardy is funding for the Missouri Scholars and Missouri Fine Arts Academies.
Academy community members are encouraged to contact the Governor and their state senators and representatives immediately, supporting the retention of funding for the Academies in Fiscal Year 2010. It’s both reasonable and responsible for the Governor and the legislature to examine funding amounts, but the total elimination of state funding for the Academies will have long-term negative effects on the cultural and educational landscape of the state.
State funding for the Missouri Scholars and Missouri Fine Arts Academies sends a powerful message to the Academies’ students and their families that the state values their gifts and talents and encourages them to use those gifts and talents right here in Missouri. State funding also allows Academy administrators to seek supplemental financial support, using state funds for grant matching requirements and as evidence of program sustainability for grants and other donations.
Elimination of the Academies' funding will undercut decades of good work, good will, and good education on the part of the state of Missouri. When the economy revives, and the state is ready to reinstitute these excellent programs, staff will have moved on, space will have been reassigned, and institutional memory will have been blurred. If the Academies are entirely defunded in FY '10, either they will be gone forever, or they’ll have to be rebuilt from the ground up. The first would be a real cultural and educational shame, and the second would be false economy. Either would be a disservice to the citizens of Missouri.
Governor Nixon will submit his budget recommendations at his State of the State address at the end of this month, so it’s essential that he be contacted immediately at:
The Honorable Jay Nixon
Capitol Building
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Legislative contact for senators and representatives may be accessed on the web at www.house.mo.gov or www.senate.mo.gov.
Julie Bloodworth, Director
—news— posted: 11/5/2008 | updated:
face.africa 2008-2009
The Creamery Arts Center
Springfield, Missouri
February 11-27th 2009
Opening Reception Friday, February 13th
30 young women from Carolina for Kibera’s Binti Pamoja program were matched with 30 emerging young emerging artists from the Missouri Fine Arts Academy. Binti Pamoja translates to “Daughters United” in Kiswahili, and provides a forum for young Kenyan women to discuss issues that concern them. The Missouri Fine Arts Academy provides a unique program of artistic, extracurricular, and social opportunities to Missouri’s talented high school students. This is the third annual cycle of the project. It has been shown at George A Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, Missouri Citizens for the Arts in Jefferson City, and the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center in Kansas City.
The portraits here will be delivered to the young Kenyan women at a ceremony in Kibera, Kenya in July 2009. A catalog of the show can be ordered at www.lulu.com. All proceeds go back into the project.
The Curator and Project Director is Josie Mai, Executive Director of Soulfari Kenya Inc, Visual Arts Faculty at Missouri Fine Arts Academy, and Assistant Professor at Missouri Southern State University.
Contact: josie@josiemai.com, www.josiemai.com
—news— posted: 9/23/2008 | updated:
MFAA teacher honored as exceptional, fights daughter's disease
Recently, Springfield’s local National Public Radio affiliate aired a story on an MFAA community member, Gretchen Teague. Gretchen was featured in a series honoring exceptionally gifted teachers in the area. Gretchen has taught theatre classes at Central High School for the past 9 years. Daily, she influences young artists’ lives for the better. She has, indeed, been extraordinary in that capacity. She is extraordinary in her private life, as well.
Gretchen’s 16-year-old daughter, Haley Stevens, was diagnosed last year with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Here is a link to that story: www.kspr.com/news/local/19341304.html
As are all people with ALS, Haley is in a race against time. Gretchen and her family and friends are doing everything they can to support Haley and others who are battling this disease. If you can help, please visit this link to contribute to the ALS Foundation in Haley’s name.
—news— posted: 9/22/2008 | updated:
MFAA '08 faculty finalist for Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Mark Anderson, MFAA '08 faculty, for being one of five finalists for Missouri's Teacher of the Year Award for '08-'09!
Visit this page for related info: www.dese.mo.gov/commissioner/awards/TOY/finalists.html
—news— posted: 9/10/2008 12:15:00 PM | updated:
MFAA '08 DVDs and directories are in the mail
MFAA ’08 DVDs and Directories were mailed on Wednesday, September 10 to all MFAA ’08 alumni. Alumni who don’t receive their packets should contact Julie Bloodworth after September 19, 2008.
—news— posted: 9/2/2008 3:35:00 PM | updated: 9/26/2008
2009 MFAA Nominations
Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sent information about accessing nomination forms for 2009 Missouri Fine Arts Academy to all superintendents of schools and private school administrators on September 12, 2009.
Postmark deadline for student nominations for the 2009 Missouri Fine Arts Academy was November 14, 2008. Late submissions are not accepted. All students and their school contacts will be notified of their status by the end of January, 2009.
Also note: Budget constraints and low application numbers in technical theatre have resulted in a change in the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA) curriculum offerings. The technical theatre component of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy has been eliminated from the 2009 summer program. Nominations for technical theatre will not be accepted this summer. DESE and MFAA administrators will examine the feasibility of reinstating the technical theatre component in future Academies.
—news— posted: 8/13/2008 | updated: 9/2/2008
2008 MFAA students Marie Morris, Taylor Renfro, and Shawn Williams, (shown in these pictures with Missouri Commissioner of Education, D. Kent King, and MFAA Coordinator Leatha Ault) perform for school administrators at a state-wide conference in August.
—news— posted: 8/13/2008 | updated: 9/1/2008
Missouri Fine Arts Academy scheduled June 7-27, 2009!
•The Missouri Fine Arts Academy is free to selected students from Missouri high schools.
• Upcoming high school juniors and seniors are eligible to attend the Missouri Fine Arts Academy.
• The 2009 Missouri Fine Arts Academy will be held on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield from June 7 through June 27, 2009.
• School districts and private schools are responsible for nominating students to attend the Missouri Fine Arts Academy. Students may not self-nominate.
• Each year in mid-September, district superintendents and private school administrators receive a letter from Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education explaining the process for accessing the Missouri Fine Arts Academy on-line student nomination forms.
• Student nominations must be postmarked mid-November.
• CHECK WTIH YOUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT YOUR INTEREST IN THE 2009 MISSOURI FINE ARTS ACADEMY.
—news— posted: 4/23/2008 10:15:00 AM | updated: 9/2/2008
MFAA to receive modest funding increase for 2009
Thanks to the vocal support of Representative Sara Lampe of Springfield; Senator Tim Green of St. Louis, and Senator Joan Bray of St. Louis, the Missouri Fine Arts Academy will receive a modest increase in funding for summer, 2009. The Missouri Fine Arts Academy appreciates the support of these Missouri legislators and others who supported funding of the Missouri Fine Arts and Missouri Scholars Academies.
—news— posted: 12/18/2007 | updated:
2007 Alum Advocates for MFAA
Jack Bourgeois from Webster Groves High testifies on behalf of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy before Missouri Senate Appropriations and House Appropriations for Education Committees. Read his testimony here.
—news— posted: 11/27/2007 | updated:
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL® Seeks Dancers!
Dance Audition Tour Winter 2008 — Columbus, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Austin, Atlanta
For all its productions and new creations, Cirque du Soleil is seeking professional dancers in: Classical and Contemporary, Hip-hop and Breakdance, Jazz, and more. Apply online.
Visit this page for related info: www.cirquedusoleil.com/casting
—news— posted: 8/31/2007 | updated:
(L-R) 2007 MFAA alumni Brett Pruneau and Alex Huff.
MFAA Alumni Perform for Missouri Association of School Administrators
2007 MFAA alumni Brett Pruneau and Alex Huff perform at Missouri Association of School Administrators on August 6, 2007.
—news— posted: 8/1/2007 | updated:
Letter from Senator Dan Clemens