Bringing ARTS AND CULTURE to the Parkland By Sarah Haas
T
he Parkland is located between the metropolitan hubs of St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, but you don’t have to travel that far to take advantage of the many cultural opportunities offered in the way of arts, live music and entertainment. The question is: Where do you begin to look for these gems? Google, Facebook and Twitter – as well as subscriptions to the Daily Journal — are great ways to stay abreast of what’s
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Mineral Area Council on the Arts and the City of Farmington brought “Pete the Cat,” a children’s musical to the Farmington Centene Center in 2019. It was performed by New York City-based theater group, TheaterWorksUSA. PHOTO CREDIT: THEATERWORKSUSA
happening, of course. But here’s what you want to look for: Arguably, one of the arbiters of the Parkland culture scene is Mineral Area Council on the Arts (MACOA), a longstanding nonprofit community arts organization. With a mission to “promote and strengthen the cultural environment in all segments of the area served by Mineral Area College,” the arts council offers many free events, but reasonably-priced tickets are discounted even further for members who take advantage of season tickets. Housed at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, many arts council events take place in the campus theater, although for larger events – such as the internationally-renowned Beatles tribute band Liverpool Legends — crowds pack the Centene Center in Farmington. The council has even taken “shows on the road,” visiting local schools and booking venues in places like Arcadia
Valleys, Thee Abbey and historic St. Paul Episcopal Church. The council has brought in traditional Thai dancers, plays for children, Celtic bands and offered Cajun festivals. While MACOA unveils a unique schedule of programming every fall, some recurring events include springtime favorites such as the popular K-12 Art Show and the downtown streetlight banner campaign, which in 2021 spread from light posts on the streets of downtown Farmington to Arcadia Valley, Bismarck and Potosi, too. The Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy is a newcomer to the local arts and entertainment scene, it started when the music, art and theatre programs were cut in July 2021 by Mineral Area College. Many members of the MAC Fine Arts Department faculty and community supporters quickly banded together to keep some of the department’s most popular traditions alive, such as the Carol Moore Memorial Jazz Festival that’s happened every March for the past 30 years, numerous Kicks Band and Choral Groups’ performances in the spring and fall, and annual Christmas concerts. It’s also a place for musical education of all ages.
