A local initiative is transforming the lives of children and bringing the community together through music and the arts.
Founded by Cindy Kennedy, the Pilot Point Fine Arts Program offers affordable artistic education to local youth, providing a space for creative expression within the community.
Introduced in late 2021 after Kennedy began her role as pastor at Pilot Point First United Methodist Church, the program stemmed from a desire to offer artistic opportunities to local youth.
“I came in 2020,” Kennedy said. “At the end of 2020, beginning of 2021, our church had a ‘What are we going to do in the next five years?’ kind of thing because everything had been shut down. And one of the things that came up was that there is not a choir program in the elementary, middle or high school here in Pilot Point.”
With that realization, Kennedy and a group of volunteers worked to bring the idea to life, ultimately forming a program that has since grown to include choir, handbells and a combined music and art class for children.
Though the Pilot Point Fine Arts Program is held at the First United Methodist Church, it operates independently.
“It started out as an outreach for the church, but then it’s grown past that to be a community effort,” Kennedy said.
The program operates in semesters, with new classes beginning every few months. The latest session, which started on Feb. 9, includes choir for ages 8 and up, handbells for ages 8 and up, and a music and art class for children ages 3 to 7. The semester will conclude with a final performance on April 26.
In addition to giving children an artistic outlet, Kennedy emphasized the importance of making the program financially accessible.
“For one child to take one class, one 10-week class is $40. If you have two kids in your family, it’s $70. If you have three, it’s $100,” Kennedy said. “And if people can’t pay, they just tell me, and I just go, ‘Whatever you can do,’ because we want everybody to be able to take the class.”
Beyond affordability, the program has become a vital resource for families seeking arts education, particularly for those in the homeschooling community.
“My daughter loves the program,” said Maida Castro Yowell, a parent of one of the participants. “We homeschool, so we love that it gives us the opportunity to have the choir performance we would be missing out on.”
Since its inception, the program has steadily grown in both participation and community engagement. Kennedy hopes Pilot Point could become a hub for the arts, supporting children and adults alike in their creative endeavors.
“I would like to see Pilot Point be known for its arts program,” she said. “Both at the school, in the community, at the theater and in our fine arts program.”
Looking ahead, Kennedy and her team are working toward expanding the program by obtaining nonprofit status, which would allow for additional funding opportunities and potential new class offerings.
“There’s so many art forms out there that aren’t necessarily music and dance,” Kennedy said. “In my dream, that’s what we do. We just offer all kinds of things that are arts in their own way and spend some time highlighting that and giving people an opportunity to see it as art.”
Kennedy sees the arts not just as a way for children to explore their creativity, but also as a powerful tool to bring people together.
“I just think it brings a community together in a way that, I mean, our programs, when we have a program, are packed with families and friends who get to see their child do something special,” Kennedy said. “It’s just amazing to see that. And people made across differences, and it’s a fun thing for people to do.”
For those interested in supporting the program, Kennedy welcomes financial contributions but is particularly eager to find more instructors.
“Mostly, I’m looking for teachers who want to share their art with the community, whether it’s [for] children or adults,” she said. “I know there’s tons of people out there with skills to share. We just need to find them.”
As the program continues to evolve, it’s clear that its impact extends far beyond its classes.
“This program is a silent hero for the arts here in Pilot Point,” Mayor Elisa Beasley said. “I can’t be more proud of Cindy Kennedy and the fine arts organization because they have taken every avenue. Every single season they just get better and better because they learn to work differently.”
For more information about the Pilot Point Fine Arts Program, visit their Facebook page or contact [email protected].
