George Daily Auditorium To Kick Off 25th Anniversary Season
Okra Playground (photo by Antti Kokkola)
George Daily Auditorium announces international folk band Okra Playground as part of 25th Anniversary Season lineup Residencies and Concerts Aim to Foster Culture Exchange in Small Communities
Oskaloosa, Iowa: Arts Midwest is bringing the folk music of Finland to Oskaloosa as part of Arts Midwest World Fest. During a weeklong residency in Oskaloosa, Okra Playground will offer workshops for local schools, universities, and other community locations and will perform live in concert at the George Daily Auditorium on Saturday, September 24th at 7:00 PM.
Okra Playground’s visit to Oskaloosa is made possible by a partnership between Arts Midwest, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, the Mahaska County Community Foundation, and the George Daily Auditorium. The three-year partnership is also bringing a world music ensemble from Alaska to spend a week in Oskaloosa in February 2023.
According to Community Engagement and Education Director Allison McGuire, “The George Daily Auditorium staff is thrilled to be the Iowa partner for this World Fest cycle. We’re excited to see what blooms from Iowans interacting with and learning from these international artists in a relaxed Midwestern atmosphere over an extended time.”
Executive Director Andy McGuire adds, “Oskaloosa’s history as an arts and culture incubator allows our community to offer multiple once-in-a-lifetime experiences that week, including with world-renowned mask and puppet maker Andrew Kim, who will be in residency with William Penn University while Okra Playground is here.”
Torrie Allen, president & CEO of Arts Midwest shares, “Arts Midwest’s goal is to make inspirational and lasting impressions on Midwest communities and people through this program. We think these weeklong visits offer beautiful opportunities for the musicians and our communities to connect with each other through workshops in schools, concerts in the greater community, and social gatherings.”
“We’re thrilled about the chance to visit a totally new place and meet new people,” said Okra Playground. “We hope to introduce people to different approaches for expressing their creativity, finding ways for open-mindedly crossing boundaries and existing as a part of the long chain of tradition in their own way.”
