Allied Arts Council supports range of talent
Jul. 29—When people speak of "the arts," a wide range of activities come to mind. Music, drawing, dancing and other expressions are exactly what the St. Joseph Allied Arts Council is all about.
Teresa Fankhauser, the organization's executive director, said she was enamored by the arts from a very young age.
"I grew up in the arts," she said. "I was on the stage (in dance) at the age of 3, so it's been a part of my life and I've been very blessed to be able to work in the arts as an adult."
The Allied Arts Council is the umbrella organization for an array of artistic expressions in St. Joseph.
"We are just there to support and serve our member agencies, as well as our community," Fankhauser said.
A total of 14 organizations make up the council, among them the Robidoux Resident Theater, the Performing Arts Association and the Saint Joseph Symphony. Fankhauser notes that other groups as diverse as the Albrecht-Kemper Museum and the St. Joseph Figure Skating Club are also members.
The most important job of the council, Fankhauser said, is collaborating to promote the arts in all their different expressions in St. Joseph, something that is not limited to the member agencies.
"Anytime someone has an arts event, we have a calendar of events for arts," she said. "This can be events in the parks or local church events. These events can be classical in nature, or they can feature more popular or contemporary expressions."
Every spring, the council raises money through the Arts Fund Campaign, and seven organizations benefit directly from that drive based on the recommendation of a citizens' committee. The council also helps publicize fundraising events that take place throughout the year for its member organizations.
Fankhauser said the community's support is essential.
"Attend the shows," she said. "That's the number one thing that you can do to support the arts."
Charles Christian can be reached at charles.christian@newspressnow.com. Follow him on twitter: @NPNowChristian.
