THE ARTS OF LEARNING VALLEY KIDS TO SHOW THEIR CREATIVITY IN GALLERY, ON STAGE.

Byline: Mark Kellam Valley News Writer

While many public schools suffer from a lack of arts education, one local organization is working to get music, dance, theater and visual arts back in the classroom, and students who benefit from the efforts will have a chance next month to show off what they've learned.

The Arts in Education Aid Council Inc., a Valley organization formed six years ago, is getting ready for its annual student arts show, to be held March 19 - a Sunday. The nonprofit is seeking schools and students to participate, said Spike Dolomite Ward, executive director of the organization.

All the public schools in the Valley, which number about 200, may take part in the event to be held at the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center and the Madrid Theatre, which are only a few blocks apart in Canoga Park.

More than 650 young artists and musicians are featured annually, Dolomite Ward said.

The youth arts center will display a visual-arts exhibit and host free workshops. School bands, orchestras, individual musicians and theatrical groups will perform at the Madrid Theatre.

Many of the students who participate in the art show are labeled as underachieving or learning-disabled because they don't do well in a traditional education setting, Dolomite Ward said.

``For many, this will be the first time they are formally recognized by their teachers, families and peers as successful at school,'' Dolomite Ward said. ``This will be the first time these kids will feel seen and heard.''

Citigroup Foundation will make a $5,000 donation to the council at the art show, Dolomite Ward said.

In addition to sponsoring the student art show, the Arts in Education Aid Council regularly helps area public schools with art supply donations, artist-in-residence programs, workshops for teachers and field trips to museums and concerts.

The council was started by a group of mothers in the Los Angeles Unified School District who were artists. They wanted to make sure children still had access to arts education, even though lack of funding was forcing many schools to eliminate formal classes in art, music and theater.

John Paul Thornton is a Valley-based artist who has conducted workshops at high schools through the council the past few years. Among his accomplishments, Thorton created portraits of missing children and put them on display in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., a few years ago. He also coordinated an Art March at City Walk last spring. Students from across the Valley had an art show at the Lankershim Art Gallery, took their art on the Metro and then marched from the Metro station to City Walk, carrying their artwork.

They wanted to draw attention to the importance of the arts and the fact that funding cuts for public schools are putting arts education in jeopardy.

While the Arts in Education Aid Council works with schools throughout the Valley, it does most of its work with three area schools: Maurice Sendak Elementary in North Hollywood and Vanalden and Melvin elementary schools, both in Reseda.

It also hosts regular sketch hikes for families at area parks.

Family Art Days, on which families create art together at the child's school, are also popular council-sponsored events. ``Many of the families we see at Family Art Days rarely come to school functions because they don't speak English,'' Dolomite Ward said. The parents feel more comfortable coming to an art event because the experience is more hands-on, and speaking English isn't important.

For more information about the student arts show, call Dolomite Ward at [phone].

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(1 -- color) Arts in Education Aid Council regularly hosts sketch hikes at area parks.

(2 -- color) The council helps create murals, such as this tile one, at local schools. All the students participate in the projects at their respective schools.