The Cathedral Arts Project (CAP) has been awarded by the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds a $500,000 gift to create a new named teaching artist fellow position, the Delores Barr Weaver Teaching Artist Fellow in Theatre. CAP welcomed Christian Anderson as the new Delores Barr Weaver Teaching Artist Fellow in Theatre.
“I greatly appreciate being part of the strategic way the Cathedral Arts Project is building an arts education infrastructure in Jacksonville,” said Delores Barr Weaver. “For so many years, their efforts have expanded what is possible for children through the arts. I’m proud to help fund their vision.”
To be eligible to receive this gift, CAP was required to secure a matching $500,000 donation from one donor. The organization met the stipulation of the challenge by receiving a matching $500,000 gift from Betty and Tom Petway. Their donation will continue to underwrite the Petway Teaching Artist Fellow in Visual Arts position, held by Ashlee Collins, which was established in 2022.
“We are thrilled to support CAP because we recognize the value of teaching children the important skills in problem solving, decision-making, creativity and teamwork, resulting in higher academic accomplishments,” said the Petways. “We know that children who are enrolled in CAP programs are well-rounded, more socially aware, and possess greater confidence in themselves and in their future journey toward personal achievement.”
Both gifts will support teaching artist fellow positions for five years. The Delores Barr Weaver Teaching Artist Fellow in Theatre will have the unique opportunity to blend their artistic passion with a commitment to educational excellence, fostering both creativity and literacy in elementary school students. The fellow will provide theatre and literacy arts integration programs as well as an afterschool theatre program.
CAP’s teaching artist fellows teach 18-20 instructional hours per week, preparing students for a lifetime of engagement with the arts by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and persevere with challenging tasks.
In addition to these endowed positions, CAP also welcomes three new teaching fellows: Lindsay M. Bowyer as Teaching Artist Fellow in Visual Arts, Chelsye P. Ginn as Teaching Artist Fellow in Theatre and Sarah J. Morrell as Teaching Artist Fellow in Music.
As full-time employees, they also have dedicated hours for lesson planning and preparation, administrative tasks and professional development. They seek out and organize opportunities for their students to perform or exhibit both at their schools and in the community, as well as arrange field trip and guest artist opportunities for their classes.
“We are honored to receive this important gift from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds and grateful to Betty and Tom Petway for continuing to champion our teaching artist fellow program,” said Rev. Kimberly Hyatt, CAP president and CEO. “It is the generous support of our community that provides us the ability to create opportunities for all children to have access to the transformative power of quality arts education.”
