METUCHEN — After nearly a year of successful events, Family Arts of Metuchen has made it clear that the borough’s artsy offerings are not just for grownups.
Children flocked, parents in tow, to the Snowflake Series over the winter and the Sunflower Series during the summer months. Now, the fledgling organization is seeking help from the community to expand on its kids’ offerings.
“We’ve been really happy with the support we’ve gotten from the residents of the town, and we really enjoy seeing how much the children enjoy these concerts. They really get into it — a lot of smiles, they’re all getting up and dancing, a lot of laughter — and that’s really why we’ve brought this in,” said Kate Massey, who co-founded Family Arts of Metuchen with fellow resident Henry Chang. “It’s for that feeling of community, but also to make sure that the children in our town are really getting exposed to different cultural events and musical events throughout the year.”
Massey told the Borough Council at its Nov. 10 meeting that sponsors and donors are sought for this year’s seasonal spate of shows.
“That would be a huge benefit to the children that we serve,” she said, adding that the goal is to include larger acts like bands, puppetry guilds, dance troupes and others, as opposed to just featuring solo artists.
Volunteers are also needed to plan and staff the concerts.
The Borough Improvement League (BIL) donated the space for last year’s concerts at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse on Middlesex Avenue, where the Snowflake Series packed the house, and the Sunflower Series hosted upwards of 150 people at each show on the schoolhouse lawn, according to Massey.
“The concert series were a tremendous success — both of them,” she said. “We really saw that community feel that we were striving for.”
Audience members’ ages ranged from babies to 8-year-olds, according to Massey.
“It just makes life that much richer and rewarding in Metuchen,” Councilman Ron Grayzel said of the events.
Massey expressed thanks to the BIL for the venue, sound system and help with other aspects of making the shows come to life. A donation from the Metuchen Arts Council also brought the concerts to fruition, she said.
Metuchen’s own Danny Adlerman, children’s musician and author, donated his talents to provide a concert last year. He will kick off the Snowflake Series this year on Jan. 18, according to Massey. A Feb. 22 concert will feature two female performers from The Fuzzy Lemons, of Hoboken. On March 29, Martin Swinger will return, coming from Maine to perform for the children. He will also offer a performance for adults on the evening of March 28.
Concerts run for about an hour, and tickets are $4 at the door. For more information or to help, visit familyartsofmetuchen.org or email [email protected].