Muskogee Fosters Love of the Arts with Creative Opportunities for All Ages
all ages, arts, creative, culture, love, muskogee little theatre, opportunities,
Former mayor Wren Stratton remembers a time when people looking for art and culture headed for Tulsa. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Stratton and the Muskogee Area Arts Council‚ those times are long past.
“We realized we can have that art here‚” says Stratton‚ one of the founding members of the arts council. “We can attract it. We can produce it. We can support it.”
Every April‚ for example‚ the city’s Azalea Festival provides the colorful backdrop for a month of festivities‚ including Art in the Park. Wandering artists‚ storytellers and magicians ensure art is as plentiful in the park as the azaleas.
“We have representatives from every arts media‚ including stage‚ amateur dancers‚ community theatre and rock and roll‚” Stratton says.
A large tent displays visual artwork in what Stratton describes as a clothesline format. Unframed art‚ she says‚ keeps prices affordable for art lovers of all budgets. And organizers always include a variety of children’s activities.
“They painted an old car a couple of years ago‚ and they loved that‚” Stratton says.
Another example of the city’s penchant for art is the Muskogee banner project‚ which began more than 10 years ago. One hundred or more canvas banners are distributed to local artists and schoolchildren. The finished works advertise the festival‚ and are ultimately auctioned off to benefit the Arts Council and city’s parks and recreation department.
“Some of them are just truly works of art‚” Stratton says of the completed banners.
Muskogee‚ Stratton says‚ is widely known for its American Indian art holdings‚ including the Five Civilized Tribes Museum. Today‚ she says‚ the art community embraces the area’s history by fostering a wide variety of venues for expressing it.
“We have a theatre that’s to-die-for‚” Stratton says. “It’s the longest consecutively running‚ open-community theatre in the state. They do four to five shows every season.”
Coni Wetz‚ executive director of Muskogee Little Theatre‚ says the group’s line-up includes at least two musicals a year as well as offering an education department for children and adults. Community support for the arts‚ Wetz says‚ is unparalleled.
“They not only support us by coming; they support us in kind with contributions‚ donations and sponsorships‚” she says.
The theater keeps a show running during major city events. Audience surveys have proven the entertainment helps keep tourists in town.
“The concept of public art as tourism is reasonably new to our community‚” Stratton says‚ “but it’s quickly catching on.”
Story by Leanne Libby
Photo by Greg Emens
