SFAThe Somersworth International Children's Festival organization, now known as the Somersworth Festival Association (SFA), was formed in 1981 by a group of concerned citizens and community leaders to help promote civic pride and to stimulate the involvement of city residents in the revitalization of Somersworth. Since then, the SFA has evolved into a major cultural resource for the City of Somersworth and its school system. With the cooperation of the local community, the SFA sponsors many family oriented activities each year and funds several school related programs. The organization's goal is to make Somersworth and the surrounding Tri-City area a better place to live and work. The SFA also participates in the Downtown Business Association and the Main Street Program. Pavilion The Somersworth Festival Association has constructed the Pavilion building that features a permanent outdoor stage which is located on one end of the Somersworth High School Football Field. The stage is used by the Festival Association and other civic groups as the location of a great number of activities, concerts and events. The building, which has a forty foot wide raised stage, and also doubles as the central storage facility for the Association, was funded by the Association through grants and fund-raisers and was constructed with the assistance of the Somersworth Vocational Center Building Trades Program.
Artists in the Schools:
The Somersworth Festival Association sponsors the Artists in the Schools
program whereby New England Artists are brought into local schools to instruct
children in their craft. The resulting "masterpieces" are proudly displayed
each year at the Somersworth International Children's Festival. Recent projects
include drawing, painting, pottery, puppet making and book illustration and
publishing. Please take a moment to visit the Hilltop School Residency Project for 2000
at Kim Wintje's website. Arts and Crafts Fund:
The Somersworth Festival Pavilion provides the supplies used in the production
of products designed to develop the children's artistic skills. The festival
organization funds the program and school faculty members administer the
projects. Somersworth Festival Association Scholarship:
The Somersworth Festival Association awards a scholarship annually to a
Somersworth Senior pursuing a secondary education in the arts.
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