VISION
Executive Director, Tom Fulton

Four words describe our aspirations as artists and educators at Fairmount.

CREATE.  IMAGINE.  INSPIRE.  THRIVE.  

With them we have committed ourselves to putting our collective artistic talents to the service of life-changing educational arts programming for students of all ages.

"The theatre, the studio, the gallery - are privileged places.  As such the activity there must be embracing of the human spirit.  No child should ever leave a workshop feeling diminished or humiliated.  Our mission is to uplift and inspire...

"I believe knowledge in itself is an end - as is art.  Because in both cases, the artist or the student develop an expansiveness of self and a thriving confidence that can affect and change the world...

"We proactively seek faculty and staff who have a personal commitment to putting their talent at the service of their students.  A love for the student's growth is the driving force behind our programming."

Tom Fulton, Executive Director

PHILOSOPHY

As Artists, we are called upon to challenge and inspire. 

A creative and performing arts center has a unique place in society. It is the gathering place for children and adults who want to tell their story in music, or dance, or through the mouth of a character, or by the turning of the potter's wheel, or by the challenge of a gymnast's grace. As educators for such an institution, our job is to lead each student to the edge of their potential and the give them the courage to go beyond - to reach for thier own creative spark..

When we teach our students, they learn about the power of reaching – reaching for something beyond themselves – something greater than any single one of them can be – And whether our students are beginning painters or a masters – the moment they pick up that brush - they've begun to reach – and their lives will never be the same.

The arts teach discipline, self-esteem; they inspire creativity, and they help people, young and old, to set and reach goals. The training and the challenge of performance in the creative arts can provide a student, no matter what age or professional background, with enhanced life skills and a greater understanding of self. And as students of the creative arts follow their paths in life, they invariably find themselves armed with a richer knowledge of who they are; and find life's challenges can be met with unprecedented power and clarity.

Because of the clear connection between a study of the arts and reaching one's full potential, most educators agree:  the arts are an essential component of a complete education.

GROWING OUR PROGRAMMING

We will continue to build on our successes - - and adjust, refocus, and sometimes even reinvent our workshops.  Over the next 5 years, Fairmount will expand it's programming to provide a graduated curriculum that leads a student from beginner to apprentice to journeyman to master professional.  As we develop this process, our workshops will be divided into Youth, Teen, Adult and Professional Conservatory programs.

• This program would allow a young student or a beginning artist to study throughout youth, teenage years and into adulthood, then graduate into a professional conservatory program;

In addition to our graduated curriculum, Fairmount is laying the foundation for an ' arts mentoring' philosophy in its training.  We are gathering artists, dancers, directors, sculptors, writers, gymnasts and other from the professional world and will be integrating them and thier expertise in our workshops. 

Students will have the unique experience of working alongside top professionals as they begin to master their craft.  We have already instituted this philosophy in the Fairmount Performing Arts Camp (FPAC) and have had tremendous success in both the student's enthusiastic response and from the professionals, who find themselves invigorated working with such eager students with open, teachable spirits.

Whatever age a person joins us, they will enter into a program that will challenge them to reach their personal best! Growing every step of the way. It is our goal to be the premiere Arts Training Center in Northeast Ohio.

Since July of 2003, we have initiated a number of new programs and have plans for even more that are built on our apprentice to professional theory.

THEATRE PROGRAM
In November of 2004, we named professional director Fred Sternfeld as Associate Director of Theatre.  He will be working with me to develop a comprehensive theatre education and professional production program. Activities will include intensive classes in music theater, classic theatre, directing, acting, movement, playwriting, screenwriting, composing, singing and dance. All celebrated through workshops and performances. 

FAIRMOUNT PERFORMING ARTS CAMP
For the past three years, Fairmount has offered the Fairmount Performing Arts Camp.  Year one was at Centerville Mills YMCA Camp.  Year two was held at Laurel School in Shaker Heights.  In our third year we moved to Chagrin Falls School system.  We have found a home there and will offer year four (summer 2007) and beyond at Chagrin.  FPAC has was developed as a highly professional training program that interfaced with many professional actors, directors, and teachers from Cleveland's major arts institutions.   Our first year brough 122 theatre students (our second, 148, our third 155) from all over Northeast Ohio to a remarkable camp that combines the talents of a superb staff and a group of guest artists from all over the State.  See our Perfoming Arts Camp Site .

SCHOOL OF FILM - We beginning conversations with professional film directors to develop a school of film that will provide emerging film and video makers the opportunity to create broadcast-quality short films or documentaries for public television, film festivals and for creative exploration.

SCHOOL OF MUSIC - With the addition of Sean Szaller as director of the Pops Orchestra and the School of Rock, and the naming of Carolyn Downie as our Interim Director of Music, our Music program is about to enter a new era of expansion, including the new School of Rock, the Youth Pops Orchestra, aFairmount Chorus and a brand new Suzuki Program headed by the talented Jenn Burns.

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AND SHARE THE DREAM...

We invite you to join us in our efforts; to help us lay the foundation for our future… There will be so many ways to participate. You can study – that's a good start. Or - You can volunteer and help us with our yearly projects and programs. We need program managers, ushers, stage managers, photographers, landscapers, carpenters, electricians, you name it, we can use you.

You might consider serving on our Board.  You can join our volunteer organization.  You can serve as an usher, box office assistant and other volunteer opportunities.  And, you can contribute to our annual fund.

You can be our ‘word of mouth' and tell the world what you know about Fairmount and encourage your friends and family to join us and support us as well. You can pass on your advice and ideas to help us serve you better.

The future begins today.