FIRST THINGS FIRST

An Interactive Art Exhibit of over 50 Established Cape Cod Artists

The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod will present a free, major regional art exhibit, FIRST THINGS FIRST, at the Cotuit Center for the Arts from January 9 to February 6, 2010.  This free exhibit is the fourth annual educational exhibit presented by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, and will feature over 50 established living Cape Cod artists exploring those things that are most important to them.

Keeping younger patrons in mind, art work will be displayed at a height of 4 feet throughout the exhibit - right at children's eye level.  In addition, a mini art library will be made available to visitors, and a series of child-friendly events will be scheduled over the course of the month.  School groups will be welcomed to the exhibit for free for the duration of the show, and will be given docent-led tours and art instruction customized to the age of the children.

"We are thrilled to be presenting Cape Cod's largest annual visual arts exhibit focused on arts education for learners of all ages," said Margaret Van Sciver, President, Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. "More than 2,000 students from public, private, parochial, technical and home schools attended our exhibit in 2009.  We can barely wait for January 2010 to welcome them back."

The exhibit is free and open to the public.  Gallery hours have been extended to accommodate the high demand anticipated for the show, based on advance bookings for school visits and the popularity of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cods previously presented exhibits, Self Portrait Cape Cod, When We Were Younger and ROYGBIV.  The exhibit will be open from 10 AM to 5 PM on Mondays through Saturdays for the duration of the exhibit.

FIRST THINGS FIRST is presented thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, and support from the Donald C. McGraw Foundation and Cape Cod Melody Tent.  "We are honored to join with the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod to present this exceptional and engaging exhibit for the enjoyment of Cape students and families," said Rana Murphy, Vice President of Eastern Bank. "The arts are an integral part of the education process and an essential element of every childs complete education."

For more information about the exhibit, the artists being featured, and opportunities for school groups to visit the exhibit at the Cotuit Center for the Arts, please call the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod at 508-362-0066.


About the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod
The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the designated local arts agency for Barnstable County, was founded in 1988.  The mission of the AFCC is to:

• Support, promote, and celebrate the arts and culture of Cape Cod
• Create a strong, stable and diverse arts and culture industry
• Contribute to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region

About the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
The mission of the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation is to contribute, in a meaningful way, to the health and vitality of the various Greater Boston communities. This is done through financial support for selected nonprofit organizations operating within these communities. The Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation is based in Lynn, Massachusetts. For more information visit www.easternbank.com.

About Cape Cod Melody Tent
For nearly 60 years, the South Shore Music Circus and its sister venue, the Cape Cod Melody Tent, have been presenting world-class entertainment in the scenic Massachusetts coastal communities of Cohasset and Hyannis. The only two continuously-operated tent theatres in the round in the United States, the Music Circus and Melody Tent are owned and operated by the South Shore Playhouse Associates, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging and supporting the arts, cultural and educational organizations throughout the communities of the South Shore and Cape Cod.