We are all born to create and everyone needs communities bursting with access to the arts where all ages can find joy through forms like music, visual art, and drama. Across our state needs exist in small towns and rural counties where they've become an "arts desert". When Jill Marlar, a long time creative arts teacher and artist moved from Birmingham to Greenville Alabama in January 2024, the absence of accessible arts was troubling. Despite these communities having a history of robust programs, there was a great need for a reigniting of the arts.

For Jill, being a fire starter for the arts was the mission and by April 2024 she was teaching private music classes out of her studio Marlar Creative in downtown Greenville. She visited public schools within the county, spoke at a school board meeting and began building a way to bridge arts in communities. MuseALABAMA was born that spring as Jill continued to teach and share music with groups at assisted livings, rehab facilities, and preschool programs. Jill's twenty five years of teaching creative arts in Birmingham area school programs had given her skills to expand the reach to all ages in her new hometown of Greenville AL.

Since April 2024, Jill has grown her outreach, volunteering her time and resources to provide full scholarships for private music lessons, summer enrichment music camps for youth, weekly music and art experiences for senior adults at local assisted livings and rehabs. This work is just the beginning as she is expanding by offering more music scholarships for private teaching in piano, guitar, and voice at her studio. Along with those classes, she's written a Creative Arts Proposal

Learn More offering at least twenty five hours each week where she brings the arts directly to all ages at the local library, schools, community centers, local churches, and senior living facilities.

Your support gives needed resources to expand the outreach for Jill to continue growing free and accessible arts for all ages. It allows for other teaching artists to join the effort to lead classes and experiences within communities. Guest artists from across Alabama can become a part of the effort providing needed classes, workshops, and direction.

The arts matter in Butler County and across all of Alabama. Help Jill kindle the fire and let's spread the arts near and far!

To read more about Marlar Creative, click "Learn More"

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