This Saturday, the Community Arts Network will host a series of community speakers and a concert to raise money for an arts scholarship for Black/African America high school students.
The event’s organizers, Francine and Mark Butler, said the series of speakers will be held at William Street United Methodist Church, located at 28 W. William St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The talks will range in subjects from “history, education, the music business, how black music affects community and the mental health aspect of it.” After the series of speakers, a community concert will be held in front of Pat’s Endangered Species, located at 11 W. Winter St., from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
The Butlers said the events are free, but donations to support the creation of the scholarship fund are encouraged. Mark Butler said all the proceeds go to the scholarship fund.
Francine Butler said the couple started planning the event after Ohio Wesleyan University’s Melvin Van Peebles Symposium was held earlier this year.
“When the Melvin Van Peebles Symposium occurred, we made a lot of connections with Black creatives, and we saw there was a need to get young people into these avenues that would lead them in these directions for getting training to go into the performing arts field,” Francine Butler said Monday. “We (wanted to) start generating awareness for the scholarship. Spoke to (OWU President) Dr. (Rock) Jones, and he was excited about that idea as well. He’s supported our desire to get a scholarship program going.”
Francine Butler said the Delaware County Foundation will be the administrator for the scholarship fund, and the amount of the scholarship is currently unknown.
“This is our first event. We’ll see what kinds of donations come in and see what we have to offer,” Francine Butler said. “2024 graduates will have the opportunity to apply.”
Mark Butler said the couple sees the scholarship as a way to “pay it forward.”
“We are advocates for the arts,” Mark Butler said. “Francine and I have been involved with arts for over 50 years. Now we want to advocate through education. It’s a nice opportunity with the support of the entire community to give these young students an opportunity.”
Mark Butler said the scholarship will be valid for OWU and The Ohio State University, as well as two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Ohio: Wilberforce University and Central State University.
OWU was selected to honor Jones, who is retiring on June 30 from OWU after 15 years at the helm, for all his help.
“We wanted to carry on his legacy in our own way in supporting those students,” Mark Butler said. “We’ll keep building. We’ll continue to raise money for the scholarship for the performing arts.”
Francine Butler said she hopes the scholarship becomes a great opportunity for local students hoping to study performing arts.
“Dance was my anchor through all my youth and schooling,” she said. “It was wonderful training, and I just think for the young people that need a direction, arts can provide a direction. For the young people who are passionate, additional training can hone their craft.”
Mark Butler added he believes the community will support the scholarship.
“(Delaware) is very vibrant with the arts,” he said. “The base is here, so we want to move from the base into more diversity. We have to do our part as citizens of this country or community (in) advocating for the arts. The arts bring the entire community together. Delaware could be a model city of this size for the arts.”
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.
