By Alex Benzegala
Panhandle Post
Chadron, NE - Chadron Public Library announced on Monday that they have been awarded a grant of $3,900.00 by the Nebraska Arts Council.
The library said in a statement that the grant will allow them to offer the Creative Aging Through the Arts Program (CAAP) at no cost to the Chadron community. The library will begin offering a series of six workshops for adults aged fifty-five and over will begin on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
Chadron Public Library says that they have partnered with Crestview Care Center and the Chadron Senior Center to provide space for this workshop series.
“Chadron Public Library contributes a great deal to the advancement of the arts in Chadron," Nebraska Arts Council Executive Director Mike Markey said. "We commend the work being done by organizations such as Chadron Public Library because the arts are important to the education and quality of life for all Nebraskans.”
Landscape artist Ben Darling will lead the workshop series, each with up to 16 participants, every Wednesday between October 4 and November 8. On Wednesday mornings Darling will be at Crestview Care Center. In the afternoons he will be at the Senior Center.
Participants will learn to paint the landscapes of the Great Plains. Topics to be covered include painting the land, sky, water, and more. Ben is a trained instructor in the Creative Aging Through the Arts Program, and a longtime arts instructor. His work is currently on exhibit at the Carnegie Arts Center in Alliance, Nebraska through October 28, 2023.
Community members aged fifty-five and older are encouraged to participate by signing up at Chadron Public Library or at the Chadron Senior Center. Participants are expected to commit to attending all six sessions as these workshops build upon each other. No previous art experience is necessary.
Registration began September 22, and classes begin October 4, 2023. Please call Susan Rolfsmeier at Chadron Public Library at 308-432-0531 more information. To learn more about upcoming library programs, visit our website at chadronpubliclibrary.com or view our Facebook page.