Arts-Integrated Education

Provides lectures, workshops, and dance performances in culture, serving over 500 individuals annually.

Supported the preservation and restoration of the Smith Opera House through advocacy and community mobilization efforts in the late 1970s.

Provides music and dance educational experiences through school-based assemblies, master classes, and lecture-demonstrations with professional artists for students in Geneva-area schools and colleges, including programs with Ithaca College Faculty Brass Quintet, RUBBERBAND Contemporary Dance Company, and Mounafanyi Percussion and Dance Ensemble.

Operates as a fully volunteer-run organization with a working board that manages all administrative functions including artist and venue contracting, fundraising, publicity, ticket sales, financial management, and educational outreach.

Produces and hosts a concert season featuring orchestral, dance, and percussion performances by professional artists and ensembles, including Garth Fagan Dance, The Syracuse Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Mounafanyi Percussion and Dance Ensemble, primarily at the Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY, from 2026 to 2027.

Offers free admission to all concerts and performances for children and youth through Grade 12 via the Sponsor-A-Student program.

Plans and hosts concerts and educational events as part of its operational programming.

Provides in-school performances and educational programs that guide students through a 2000-year chronological exploration of Mexican folk traditions—from Mesoamerican civilizations to the present—designed to be informative, transformative, and engaging. These programs include performances, workshops, and long-term residencies for schools and educational institutions.

Produces and presents two original theatrical productions—Trekking Mexico and SUGAR SKULL! A Dia de los Muertos Musical Adventure—that explore Mexican cultural traditions through narrative, music, and dance. These performances are delivered annually in dozens of schools, theaters, museums, and community centers across the New York Tri-State area.

Organizes and funds live jazz and blues performances that are free to the public, while also educating youth and audiences on the historical and cultural significance of these musical genres.

Creates and presents performances that serve cultural and educational purposes.

Annually awards the KJ James Memorial Scholarship to promising young blues performers, with recipients recognized publicly. The scholarship is part of the organization’s youth development initiatives.

Organizes a three-day, admission-free festival at Chevy Court in the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY, featuring local, regional, and national blues artists. The event attracts thousands of attendees annually and includes food and beverage vendors, shaded areas, lawn chair space, and designated dancing areas.

Provides VIP packages with catered meals, preferred seating, and beverages, as well as RV parking with utility hook-ups for multi-night stays at the NYS Fairgrounds during the festival.

Hosts a guitar raffle each year with proceeds benefiting Blues Ignition, the organization’s student band program, to support youth music development initiatives.

Delivers blues music education through school assemblies and classroom workshops across Central New York, reaching over 1,400 students annually. Programs include Blues in the Schools and artist-led workshops with nationally touring performers.

Relies on over 100 volunteers annually to support festival logistics, including stage management, setup and teardown, and runner duties. Volunteers receive food tickets, T-shirts, and access to a designated rest area with beverages.

Operates Blues Ignition, a youth development initiative that provides performance opportunities for students aged 19 and under, including a 40-minute performance set at the annual festival. The program supports young performers through mentorship and public performance experience.