Each school year, the Decatur Area Arts Council (DAAC) collaborates with Kirkland Fine Arts Center and Millikin University to offer a series of performing arts shows through a DAAC program called the Performing Arts Series for Students (PASS). Serving more than 5,000 children each year, PASS is designed to open doors to learning through the performing arts.
A big part of what makes PASS so special is that it provides an opportunity that many kids may seldom get:
- - the chance to see an entertaining and educational show,
- - provided by professional performing artists,
- - in a world-class theater, and
- - on a university campus.
DAAC books the shows, selected with young students (Pre-K to sixth grade) in mind to ensure they will have an entertaining, educational experience. Shows can be theatrical, musical or dance, presenting topics ranging from storybooks, history, science, math and more. One consistent element is a performance by a Millikin-related symphony group, compliments of the Symphony Orchestra Guild of Decatur.
Since its construction in 1970, Kirkland Fine Arts Center has donated the use of the theater to the Arts Council for the PASS program. Millikin University staff are integral in managing the arrival and departure of busloads of children.
Because of the support of generous foundations and sponsors, DAAC has been able to offer ticket scholarships to children whose families can鈥檛 afford to pay, as well as a limited number of transportation scholarships to help schools cover the cost of a bus.
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