A Sense of Belonging through the Arts
As a Luther student, Kari Myers ’08 served on the Performing Arts Committee, helping to bring world-class performers to campus. “That’s truly what opened the door to a career in arts administration,” she says. “That experience made me realize I could use my analytical/organizational brain to be involved in the arts in ways other than being a performer.”
Now, as director of education at Des Moines Performing Arts, Kari oversees an education program that includes a school matinee series, a family series, a speaker series, musical theatre summer camps, professional development for teachers, and robust community engagement. Plus, she administers the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards (IHSMTA), a yearlong program that gives schools visibility and resources to grow their musical programs. IHSMTA just closed the books on its 13th year and has grown to one of the largest such programs in the nation, with more than 100 participating schools and a history of engaging tens of thousands of students.
“What’s been so gratifying over the years is truly seeing the talent level rise in the state,” Kari says. “But beyond that, there’s a network of educators and students that’s been cultivated through this program. They come to learning opportunities throughout the year or to our year-end showcase—a multiday festival of rehearsals and workshops that culminates in one big show of 650 students—and they walk away really feeling like they have a community. The result is better experiences for students, better education, and more gratifying and fulfilling art-making for everyone, from the adults on the production team to the students who are involved both on and off stage.”
Kari believes that the arts are invaluable for young people. “Oftentimes people look at young people as the audiences of tomorrow,” she says. “But they are audiences today, and we do our young people a disservice if we don’t recognize that their lives are complex. The arts validate so much of who they are and what they experience.”
Kari strives to create an inviting culture around the arts. “I want young people to know that our cultural institutions are places where they are welcome, that belong to them, regardless of their zip code or their family’s socioeconomic status or whether going to the theater is something that their family has a tradition of doing,” she says. “Because our cultural institutions are places that are core to the fabric and quality of life of our communities, and they help create a big-picture sense of belonging.”
She continues, “We know that when young people experience wonder and inspiration, their worlds are expanded, and they can dream bigger dreams for themselves. The arts are not going to fix everything, but they are a significant piece of the world we want to build for our young people, the world we want them to lead.”