Lansing High School Teacher, Michaela Fitzgerald, Launches LV Arts Non-Profit in Leavenworth
Lansing School District's very own Michaela Fitzgerald has been hard at work over the past year creating an arts nonprofit titled LV Arts for the Leavenworth-Lansing community. The mission of LV Arts, is to "connect art and audiences through dynamic exhibitions and public programs for the cultural enrichment and vitality of present and future generations in the Leavenworth area and beyond."
Mrs. Fitzgerald, who is an English Language Arts teacher at Lansing High School, is a 2007 Lansing graduate and attended USD 469 from kindergarten through 12th grade. LV Arts will be holding their first event "Live at the Local" on September 24th and 25th. The organization is currently seeking artists for the event. For more information, visit www.lvarts.info.
Q&A: Mrs. Michaela Fitzgerald, LHS ELA Teacher
What motivated you to start LV Arts?
To put it simply, a love for the arts is what motivated me to start the nonprofit organization, LV Arts. As a K-12 student of Lansing USD 469, Class of 2007, and longtime local of Leavenworth, I’ve learned that a community's success relies heavily on the efforts of its members and that anyone can be an agent for positive change. The first spring of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 caused me to reflect more deeply on our community’s current offerings for cultural and arts-based experiences, and I found those opportunities to be far and few between. I began to envision an organization that would serve as the pulse of downtown Leavenworth, one that would provide as many creative outlets as there are creative people in the community. It would become a space that houses artworks from artists across the nation, facilitates discovery through arts-based learning and events, and develops a culture of appreciation for the arts and humanities. I truly believe that the arts play an essential role in the vitality and longevity of both current and future generations, and that there is a dire need to cultivate them more intentionally in our community.
Who has helped you get it started?
A number of people have helped me take steps in the process of forming this nonprofit, from my parents who suggested I first start with an informal market research survey to gauge interest to other family and friends who have encouraged me to develop my visions for what the organization could be. Early on, my cousin-in-law and now associate director of the organization, Brooke Bristow, designed our logo and edited our website, which I think initially gave us the momentum we needed to establish a physical presence. Chelsea Harrington, also a graduate of Lansing, who serves as the vice chair and art director of our board, was one to encourage me early on to be the change I wished to see in the world and really understood the need for an organization like this in our community. Without my husband Tim helping to keep our household running smoothly on days when needs of the organization are high has also been key in maintaining forward progress for the organization.
What is your ultimate goal for LV Arts?
The ultimate goal of LV Arts is to establish a culture of art appreciation in our community and to cultivate fresh, engaging, culturally-relevant experiences through exposure to the arts and humanities. The Lawrence Art Center in Lawrence, KS has truly served as a model as to what art appreciation and exploration looks like and how it can be a cornerstone for innovation and inspiration in a community. My goal is for LV Arts to become a household name in our community and surrounding areas, and that it becomes recognized as an important pillar for meaningful cultural and arts-based experiences for present and future generations.
What types of events are you hoping to hold?
Our “Live at the Local” open-mic and art gallery event, which will take place at the Leavenworth Local Hotel on September 24th and 25th, serves to introduce our organization to the community and to begin creating partnerships with art enthusiasts and potential supporters. Beyond this first event, we are taking some time to brainstorm various programming and events we would like to offer throughout the upcoming year. Stay tuned in by going to our website, www.lvarts.info, for more information.
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Do you have plans to incorporate students or your role as a teacher at LHS into the nonprofit?
I’ve found that my role as an educator and as the executive director of this organization aren’t mutually exclusive. Not only do I have an overall love for learning, but I believe I have a major stake in the prosperity of present and future generations in our community. My experiences thus far with the nonprofit organization have proved to enhance my experiences within the classroom, in that LV Arts provides me with a foothold into the community at large, while our school is somewhat of a microcosm of the community we serve. I would love for my students to benefit from the types of creative outlets LV Arts aims to provide and that they see me as someone who is taking strides in the “real-world” to create positive change.