DAREarts Partners With Vancouver Opera for an Innovative Arts Program That Has Helped Thousands of Children Across Canada

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Dec. 10, 2014) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

The recent world premiere of Stickboy, Vancouver Opera's new commissioned opera about bullying, is the focus for the successful return of DAREarts' innovative arts program to Vancouver. Grade 6 and 7 students from Lord Strathcona Public School and Britannia Community School will highlight their creativity through their interpretation of Stickboy, (music by Neil Weisensel and libretto by Shane Koyczan).

The week-long program, running from Monday December 8^th to Friday December 12^th explores the themes and ideas of Stickboy as the children engage in visual arts, writing, music, dance, drama, videography and media arts.

"Through these mediums, the children will explore ways that the values of Discipline, Action, Responsibility and Excellence can guide them through challenging times to become leaders," says Marilyn Field, DAREarts Founder. "The children will create artwork that will be the voices of their self-exploration and artistic interpretation of these DAREarts values."

Their thematically-inspired performance piece and supporting artwork will be showcased for the public at The Michael & Inna O'Brian Centre for Vancouver Opera, in the Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall, 1955 McLean Drive, on Friday December 12, 2014 at 5:30p.m. The media are invited to share in this incredible experience.

The program is a partnership Vancouver Opera and DAREarts, a non-profit charity that uses the arts to ignite change in young Canadians.

DAREarts' arts education programs empower children in high priority communities to become leaders. DAREarts builds courage and confidence in children, enabling them to become leaders by harnessing the core power of the arts - Discipline, Action, Responsibility and Excellence. Canadian Charitable No. 88691 7764 RR0002.

DAREarts' unique programs work with 9-14 year olds in both urban and rural areas, including aboriginal communities. The children explore world cultures while they themselves paint, sculpt, sing, dance, compose, design, write, act and create, guided by arts professionals. DAREarts provides much-needed opportunities for children to discover how to express themselves in positive ways and to experience a broader range of activities beyond what is available to them. The children gain leadership skills by returning to their schools and teaching their classmates what they have learned. Currently its 18^th year, DAREarts has influenced more than 180,000 Canadian children.

Vancouver Opera is the second largest opera company in Canada. It is regarded worldwide for its fine mainstage productions; for its country-leading education programs, which have reached more than 1.6 million children and their families; for its innovative and award-winning community programs; and for forging ground-breaking cross-cultural creative partnerships that have brought opera to new generations of Canadians.

The inner life of a young boy is at the heart of Stickboy, a moving and meaningful opera by composer Neil Weisensel and world-renowned spoken-word artist Shane Koyczan. Bravely autobiographical, beautifully poetic, visually innovative and musically memorable, Stickboy confronts the uncomfortable reality of a society struggling with its own fear and insecurity.

This project has been generously sponsored by The Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation, which is grounded on the Koerners' belief in the benefits of higher education for young people, in their understanding of the importance of the arts to the community as nourishment for the human spirit, and in their recognition that these and other enterprises of a social welfare nature were in need of encouragement in British Columbia.

This project has also been generously sponsored by DAREarts' Lead Sponsor Northbridge and HUB International Canada West Company.

For more information, please visit www.darearts.com.

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