Teqniqal Systems
TeqNote
See, Hear Do - Space Planning for Fine Arts We frequently see schools that have nice Performing Arts Centers for the High School students. Also noted is that at the same time, they are struggling to keep the students engaged and enrolled. The link between the students’ desire to stay in school must be cemented early-on and that it is intimately tied to the parent’s support and involvement. When parents attend their children’s first programs, sometimes as early as Kindergarten or First Grade, they only ask for two things: To See their children, and to Hear their children. However, the circumstances under which these early events transpire can frequently be summed-up with one word: Disaster. • To See: They must squint to make out tiny, poorly lit performers, they must shield their eye’s from the glare of the room lighting (or trip over other people because the lights were turned-off completely in violation of Fire Codes), and try to focus on the stage activities while there are hundreds of visual distractions competing for their attention. Because the school doesn’t provide a good quality video recording of the event, each parent fusses with cameras, camcorders, and/or cell phone cameras. This both distracts the young performers, and disrupts the enjoyment of the event by others (camera bags and tripods blocking aisles and people standing up in front of others “to get that shot”). It does, however, provide the parents with grainy, out-of-focus, shaky, blurry images with poor color balance — perfect for the family photo album. The precious moments they attempt to capture forever are lost in the chaos. • To Hear: They must tolerate awful Sound Systems, noisy Air Conditioning, bad Room Acoustics, and numerous other sonic intrusions like squeaky chairs, clattering doors, and humming lights. The small voices of the children are lost in an uncooperative void, and long with that, the parent’s enthusiasm to come back. It doesn’t have to be that way. Proper planning of facilities can provide the parents with an enjoyable experience that will translate to return attendance as the students work their way up through the grades with concerts, plays, talent shows, guest presenters, and awards ceremonies. All moments that the parents would gladly attend — if it wasn’t such an exasperating experience. • To Do: The development of spaces that provide a enjoyable experience for the audience requires good sightlines, comfortable seating, easy access, and good room acoustics; they also inherently need support spaces and equipment for the Staff and Students to produce those events. o This means proper planning for Storage (all that stuff has to go somewhere, or it just clutters the stage and becomes a fire hazard). o Work Spaces (shops, painting area, sewing area, make-up and dressing rooms). o Equipment (Sound, Lights, Video, Rigging, Draperies, Platforms, Orchestra Shells, Podiums, etc.). o Training (not just for the students, but also for the teaching and maintenance staff – high tech tools require an understanding of how to use them safely, effectively, and creatively). o Maintenance (Technology wears-out, becomes out-dated, and some of it has mandatory inspections and testing that must be performed on a regular schedule). This requires a commitment from both the community (for funding), the administration (to see that the investment is kept in good condition), from the staff (to see that it is utilized and that the students benefit from it), and from the students (to learn how to use it, protect it, and be creative with it). A quality fine arts venue can instill pride in the community as it is the showcase for the children’s creativity and achievements, and a focal point for the parents, grandparents, and siblings to See, Hear, and Do. www.teqniqal.com P.O. Box 92999
Fort Worth, Texas 76092
817.249.4024
Co ns ul t ant s Spe ci ali z i n g in Pe r f or mi ng Ar t s Te c hnol ogy a nd Saf e t y