News and Events Press Room Press Releases Young Audiences Announces New Director of Residencies and Professional Learning

September 13, 2007 – Atlanta, GA – Young Audiences, Woodruff Arts Center (YAWAC) is proud to announce the addition of a Director of Residencies and Professional Learning to its staff. This position was previously called Education Director and now includes additional responsibilities. J. Noble will join Young Audiences full time on October 1^st. Mr. Noble joins Young Audiences after over 2 years as Director of the Performing Arts Program at the Tennessee Arts Commission and over 10 years experience in arts, education, and media. Noble holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis and Master’s degrees from Delta State University and the University of Memphis in English and Directing.

 

As Director of Residencies and Professional Learning, Noble will be responsible for the planning, implementation and assessment of all YAWAC residencies and the professional development of all YAWAC artists. He will work closely with the Associate Director and the Director of Artistic Resources in creating and implementing these programs.

 

"Unfortunately, it is rare for students to have consistent, quality experiences with the arts and artists. The work that Young Audiences performs for its schools and its community is critical. To be a part of an organization that has the history and expertise of providing students with artistic experiences that are resonant and significant is a privilege. I am extremely excited and honored to be a part of the Young Audiences team,” said Noble.

 

Myrna Lubin, Associate Director of Young Audiences, Woodruff Arts Center is excited as well stating that “J. brings to Young Audiences a potent mix of talent and experience. We will benefit from his work as a teaching artist, classroom teacher, theatre director and administrator as we move aggressively to increase our presence, not just in auditoriums, but in classrooms where our workshops and residencies can advance student learning in and through the arts.”

 

With the addition of a Director of Residencies and Professional Learning, Young Audiences, Woodruff Arts Center has plans to evaluate and improve existing programs and to develop new programs in order to better meet the needs of Georgia teachers and students.

 

Young Audiences, Woodruff Arts Center (YAWAC) is a leading provider of arts-in-education programming in the Southeast. Part of the 31-chapter national Young Audiences organization, YAWAC brings the power of live arts experiences to Georgia students from pre-school to high school. From a small organization of nine artists in 1983, YAWAC has grown into a force in arts education, comprising more than 65 professional artists and ensembles that reach more than one million students each year. We fulfill our mission – to improve the life and education of every child through the arts – by providing a dazzling and culturally diverse array of curriculum-based performances, workshops and residencies in music, dance, theatre, literary and visual arts. For more information, please visit www.yawac.org.

 

The Woodruff Arts Center is the largest arts centers in the Southeast as well as one of the four largest in the nation. The Woodruff is unique in that it combines five visual and performing arts divisions on one campus as one not-for-profit organization. Opening in 1968, the Woodruff Arts Center is home to the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art, Young Audiences and the 14^th Street Playhouse.

Jihan François

(404) 733-5308

jihan.francois@woodruffcenter.org