It was an evening none of us here at Arts for Learning Virginia will ever forget. What a joyous way to celebrate our legacy of seven decades of enriching lives through the arts! We have hundreds of wonderful photos to share, thanks to JB Digital Photography. Enjoy browsing through them here.
A4L CEO Chris Everly honored the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for its “deeply meaningful work it does in the community as a whole—our entire community is better for the Foundation’s initiatives and the hard topics it has brought into the light.” Accepting the award was HRCF President and CEO Dr. Deborah DiCroce. 
We are humbled by her words:
Arts for Learning has made a tangible, audible, visible difference in our region for decades thanks to its inspiring work to provide arts education by artists for students.”
We are also moved by a proclamation from Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer, presented by Virginia Beach City Council member Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond. Dr. Ross-Hammond is the founder and chairman of the Virginia Beach African American Cultural Center and Director Emeritus of the Arts for Learning board. The proclamation states that Young Audiences/Arts for Learning has “enriched the lives of countless students and families through diverse and dynamic arts programming.”
Along with scrumptious appetizers and drinks during the cocktail hour, Cheers to 70 Years featured a collaborative mixed media collage, led by teaching artist Asiko-oluwa Aderin. In the interactive project, guests were asked to reflect on what the arts mean to them and write brief thoughts on paper leaves, which will form the vibrant canopy of a final piece created by Asiko.
Guests later enjoyed exceptional artistic performances as they ate their dinners.
A4L poet Stephanie Lask delivered two original poems. While playing exquisite melodies for guests, Norfolk Public Schools’ Strolling Silver Strings served as living examples of the impact the arts have on students’ lives. 
And A4L singer/songwriter Roberta Lea gave a heartfelt performance on the transformative power of music.
Thank you to our amazing sponsors for your generosity and for making Cheers to 70 Years a tremendous success!
Our staff worked hard to make “Cheers” a memorable evening–and they’re now hard at work again doing the day-to-day business of running an arts-in-education nonprofit. That means organizing and scheduling and creating and communicating and planning–but more than anything collaborating. They do so with artists, educators, and community partners, who share a vision of all children, regardless of circumstances, having access to an education that’s made whole by the arts.
Thank you to all who came and celebrated with us! If you weren’t able to be at Cheers to 70 Years but would like to support our work, you can donate here.
At the conclusion of the Community Creators in STEAM residency in Newport News, we talked with students about their experiences. Words that came up repeatedly were “teamwork,” “friends,” “fun,” and “help.”
“The fifth-grade students at McIntosh Elementary School along with residency steward and teaching artists have spent the last nine weeks using the artistic and engineering design process to address a social issue in their community.
It was also important to the students that art was displayed around the house to give a sense of comfort and ownership. Throughout this project the students made intentional design choices from the color of the walls to the design layout. They wanted those facing this insecurity to feel welcomed.
As part of an innovative after-school residency, 5th graders in Newport News have unveiled 3D artistic creations that are the result of weeks of brainstorming, teamwork, and hands-on design. Four teams of students at George J. McIntosh Elementary School created prototypes that address social issues, presenting their models to educators, community leaders, Arts for Learning staff and board members, and their peers in the residency.
Led by A4L teaching artist 
