The Arts facet partners with museums, symphonies, arts councils, educational institutes and corporations in order to support art programs, especially where there is a focus on artists of color. Links are creating and supporting opportunities for educating minority youth in the arts and presenting and supporting performances by youth and accomplished professional artists in a diversity of disciplines.

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The Baton Rouge Chapter of Links Incorporated recently provided a grant to the Arts Council of Baton Rouge to support the popular Show “All the Right Moves”. The popular show was created and produced by Debbie Allen who is one of the most respected and versatile talents in the entertainment industry. She is an internationally recognized director, choreographer and author.  Ms. Allen creates opportunities for arts education for young people around the world.   Ms. Allen has also received three Emmys and a Golden Globe.

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The show allowed young people in Baton Rouge area schools to audition for the show and perform. It also allowed talented youth to work with well known dancers and receive training and mentoring from Ms. Debbie Allen herself.  The Baton Rouge Chapter of Links, through the Arts Facet Committee provided a $1000 grant to allow youth in the Baton Rouge community to attend the performances in Baton Rouge.  The grant also supported the Rosebuds which is the Links mentoring group of young girls from Audubon Elementary to attend the show. The Links members provide mentoring support and program activity experiences to 40 girls in the middle school.

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The Arts facet has also:

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• Teamed up with the Arts Council of Baton Rouge, the River City Jazz Coalition in 2009 to present programs to benefit elementary and high school students in Baton Rouge through “Expanding the Vision…Through the Arts.”

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• Treated 200 students from all three schools to a day at the theatre by sponsoring their attendance at Debbie Allen plays “Dreams” and “Brothers of the Knight.”

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• Partnered with Playmakers, Louisiana’s only professional theatre dedicated to bringing quality live theatrical productions to young audiences.  Our students enjoy performances each year and are encouraged to audition to perform in the plays and assist in production.

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• Collaborated with Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to provide an educational concert by Jazz musician and Grammy nominee Carla Cook and her band. Students were given a lesson on music genres with special emphasis on African and Jazz.  A lively and interactive concert with hands-on participation kept the students engaged.  Post-performance assessment indicated that greater appreciation for a wider variety of music was achieved.