North Iowa Cultural Center And Museum

PROVIDE CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

THE NORTH IOWA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM OPERATES, MAINTAINS, AND PRESERVES THE HISTORICAL SURF BALLROOM LOCATED IN CLEAR LAKE, IOWA. OUR MUSEUM IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DAILY. WE PROVIDE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE VISITORS AND FANS ABOUT THE HISTORY, AND CONTINUING SIGNIFICANCE, OF ALL GENRES OF MUSIC WITH AN EMPHASIS ON BIG BAND AND ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC. WE CARRIED OUT OUR MISSION THROUGH 1) THE OPERATION OF A MUSEUM WHERE WE COLLECT, ARCHIVE AND PRESERVE MUSICAL ARTIFACTS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS SO THEY MAY BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE WAY MUSIC HAS DEVELOPED DURING THE LAST CENTURY 2) THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENT OF AN EDUCATION DIRECTOR WHO CONDUCTS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BOTH AT THE SURF BALLROOM AND THROUGHOUT THE AREA INCLUDING CLASSROOM VISITS, SCHOOL TOURS AT THE BALLROOM, PIANO AND GUITAR LESSONS, SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AND 3) WE PROVIDE NUMEROUS TOURS, SEMINARS, AND MUSICAL PROGRAMS FOR THE PUBLIC WHICH DEMONSTRATE THE MUSIC PERFORMED HERE AND IN AMERICA DURING THE PAST 65+ YEARS. 2021 PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 1. HOSTING MOTORCOACH TOURS 2. HOSTING 22,688 MUSEUM VISITORS FROM 50 STATES AND 7 FOREIGN COUNTRIES 3. HOSTING CONCERTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS WITH AN ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE OF 19,000 4. MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER: AS THE PREMIER LOCATION IN NORTH IOWA FOR PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE LIVE MUSIC, THE SURF BALLROOM ALSO STRIVE TO USE OUR PLATFORM TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH AMPLE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. THE MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ENGAGING, HANDS ON, LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS OF ALL AGES IN THE GREATER NORTH IOWA AREA. WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARING THE STORY OF THE HISTORIC SURF BALLROOM, CREATING RELEVANT CURRICULUM TO ASSIST SCHOOLS, AND CONTINUALLY WORKING TO INSPIRE GENERATIONS THOUGH THE MUSIC THAT LIVES ON. INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO: THE SURF BALLROOM INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO ALLOWS STUDENTS TO GAIN HANDS ON EXPERIENCE WITH INSTRUMENTS OF ALL TYPES. STRING, PERCUSSION, AND KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS ARE ON DISPLAY FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH. CHILDREN LEARN HOW THE INSTRUMENTS PRODUCE SOUND, WHERE THE INSTRUMENTS COME FROM, AND DIFFERENT PLAYING TECHNIQUES. INSTRUMENTS FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES ARE ALSO FEATURED FOR STUDENTS TO PLAY AND LEARN ABOUT. THIS PROGRAM STRIVES TO SPARKS CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN LEARNING AN INSTRUMENT AND DEVELOP A PASSION FOR MUSIC. THIS HANDS ON PROGRAM ALSO ALLOWS STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST OUT NEW INSTRUMENTS BEFORE COMMITTING TO PURCHASING ONE, WHILE HELPING STUDENTS DISCOVER NEW INSTRUMENTS AND WHICH ONE THEY WOULD MOST ENJOY LEARNING. FEATURING INSTRUMENTS FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES SHOWCASES TO STUDENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD, DEVELOPING AN APPRECIATE FOR MUSIC AND HISTORY. THE INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO REACHED NEARLY 500 STUDENTS IN 2021. MUSIC TEACHERS/STUDENTS: - NICK JOHNSON, SUB-CONTRACTED GUITAR INSTRUCTOR, CONTINUED TEACHING GUITAR AND STRING INSTRUMENT LESSONS IN 2021 AND GAINED SEVERAL NEW STUDENTS RESULTING IN 15 TOTAL STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE WEEKLY LESSONS. - PIANO TEACHERS WERE SUB-CONTRACTED AND THEY TAUGHT PIANO LESSONS TO 75 STUDENTS WEEKLY AT THE MEC. CONTINUING EDUCATION: CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES ARE OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH IOWA AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE. CLASSES ENHANCE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH A VARIETY OF INTERACTIVE COURSES, FROM ART & MUSIC TO CULINARY AND COMPUTER SKILLS TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE. AVERAGE OF 100 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES IN 2021. PARTNERSHIPS: THE MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER STRIVES TO GROW OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH SERVICES TO INCLUDE MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NORTH IOWA. PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN RURAL COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND SCHOOLS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE OUR SERVICES, COLLABORATE ON JOINT ENDEAVORS AND GAIN EDUCATION PARTNERS. THE MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER CONTINUALLY PERUSES AND MATURES VALUE ADDED RELATIONSHIPS TO INCREASE YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND EXPAND VISIBILITY. HAVING AN EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH FACILITY HAS ALLOWED THE SURF BALLROOM TO DEVELOP MANY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS AND BRING MUSIC EDUCATION TO OUR COMMUNITY IN DIVERSE WAYS. ONE VISION, ONE VISION CHILDREN'S AUTISM CENTER, NIACC, CLEAR LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY, CENTRAL GARDENS OF NORTH IOWA, MUSIC MAN SQUARE, CLEAR LAKE ART'S CENTER, CLEAR LAKE FARMER'S MARKET, BELMOND PUBLIC LIBRARY, GARNER PUBLIC LIBRARY, GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER IOWA, NORTH IOWA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, ROTARY OF CLEAR LAKE, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY. THE MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER GIVES THE COMMUNITY'S RESIDENTS A PLATFORM TO SHARE HOBBIES, INTEREST AND TALENTS. INDIVIDUALS PARTNER WITH THE MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER TO HOST CLASSES, RECITALS AND WORKSHOPS. ARTIFACT DISPLAYS: AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE MUSEUM ARTIFACTS AT THE SURF BALLROOM MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER CONTINUES TO GIVE US THE UNIQUE CHANCE TO DISPLAY MEMORABILIA THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN KEPT IN STORAGE. WE INVESTED IN NEW SHATTERPROOF CASES TO PROTECT THE ITEMS (WHICH INCLUDE ARTICLES OF CLOTHING; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS LIKE GUITARS, TAMBOURINES, HARMONICAS, DRUM HEADS, ETC.; POSTERS; PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER ITEMS) FROM DAMAGE. THESE UNIQUE MEMORABILIA HELP US SHARE PIECES OF HISTORY WITH MUSICIANS OF ALL KINDS AT THE SURF BALLROOM MUSIC ENRICHMENT CENTER. 5. RAVE ON: OUR EDUCATION COORDINATOR'S MAIN FOCUS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR (SEPTEMBER THROUGH MAY) IS A SPECIAL CURRICULUM TITLED "RAVE ON." THESE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO MORE THAN 710 CLASSROOMS IN CERRO GORDO AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. CLASSES ARE TAUGHT ON SITE AT THE BALLROOM OR IN THE CLASSROOM. THE ENGAGING CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED TO TEACH THE HISTORY OF THE SURF BALLROOM, THE LIVES OF BUDDY HOLLY, RITCHIE VALENS, J.P. 'THE BIG BOPPER' RICHARDSON, AND THE IMPACT THAT THEIR MUSIC HAD ON THE WORLD. WITH THE AID OF THE "RAVE ON" CURRICULUM WE VISITED 18 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, RESULTING WITH CONTACT TO 1,110 STUDENTS IN 2021. 9 SCHOOLS ALSO TOURED THE BALLROOM, RESULTING WITH CONTACT TO AN ADDITIONAL 300 STUDENTS. 6. WINTER DANCE PARTY ROCKIN' KID'S SHOW: (ONLINE OUTREACH IN 2021) A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL EVENT AND HIGHLIGHT DURING THE YEAR IS THE WINTER DANCE PARTY ROCKIN' KIDS SHOW, WHERE STUDENTS FROM ACROSS NORTH IOWA TAKE A FIELD TRIP AND EXPERIENCE THE HISTORIC VALUE OF THE SURF WITH A CONCERT JUST FOR THEM. PRIOR TO THE KID'S SHOW, THE SURF'S EDUCATION COORDINATOR VISITS CLASSROOMS TO TEACH THE HISTORY OF THE SURF. OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE, ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE FOR NORTH IOWA STUDENTS THAT SHOWCASES THE ABILITY THAT MUSIC HAS TO BOTH INSPIRE AND CONNECT US. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SURF BALLROOM'S WINTER DANCE PARTY FESTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE KID'S SHOW WAS CANCELLED D/T COVID-19. SEVERAL ONLINE RESOURCES WERE CREATED AND DISTRIBUTED TO NORTH IOWA SCHOOLS AS A WAY FOR SCHOOLS TO PARTNER TOGETHER WITH THE SURF AND CELEBRATE THE WINTER DANCE PARTY KID'S SHOW. THESE OUTREACH PROGRAMS INCLUDED: - DANCING THROUGH THE DECADES: AN INTERACTIVE JOURNEY THROUGH THE DECADES WITH DANCE INSTRUCTOR KAITLIN BOELMAN OF DANCE WITH ME STUDIO (BELMOND, IA). 425 STUDENTS IN 2021. - CLASSROOM BUCKET DRUMMING: STUDENTS FOLLOW PROFESSOR ANTHONY STEVENS AS HE TEACHES THE HISTORY AND TECHNIQUES IN THE ART OF BUCKET DRUMMING (FREE DELIVERY OF BUCKETS AND DRUM STICKS TO ANY SCHOOL WITHIN A 50- MILE RADIUS OF THE SURF BALLROOM). 300 STUDENTS IN 2021. 7. WINTER DANCE PARTY ART CONTEST: ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE WINTER DANCE PARTY KID'S SHOW IS AN ART CONTEST THAT CLEAR CREEK K-5 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN EACH YEAR. DURING THEIR KID'S SHOW, MEMBERS OF THE RITCHIE VALENS FAMILY WERE PRESENT TO ANNOUNCE THE WINTER DANCE PARTY ART CONTEST WINNERS. 650 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN 2021. 8. MASTER CLASS: A MASTERCLASS IS HELD AT THE SURF BALLROOM IN APRIL. MASTER CLASSES ARE A CLASS, ESPECIALLY WITH A MUSICAL THEME, GIVEN BY AN EXPERT TO HIGHLY TALENTED STUDENTS. 2021'S MASTER CLASS THEME WAS HISTORY OF AMERICAN ROCK N' ROLL. RYAN SHEELER, LECTURER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY AND INSTRUCTOR OF HISTORY OF AMERICAN ROCK N' ROLL, TAUGHT AN INTERACTIVE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF EARLY AMERICAN ROCK N' ROLL AND ITS ROOTS. INCLUDED WAS A DISCUSSION OF THE 1959 WINTER DANCE PARTY AND ITS LEGENDARY STOP AT THE SURF BALLROOM IN CLEAR LAKE IOWA - WHERE BUDDY HOLLY, RITCHIE VALENS, AND THE BIG BOPPER PLAYED THEIR FINAL PERFORMANCE ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 2ND 1959 BEFORE THEY WERE TRAGICALLY KILLED ALONG WITH PILOT ROGER PETERSON IN A PLANE CRASH NORTH OF TOWN "THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED." 250 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED. 9. ONLINE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: WITH AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR MATERIALS FOR HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS AND VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS THE REINTRODUCTION OF IOWA HISTORY TO THE IOWA CORE STANDARDS CURRICULUM, THE SURF RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO INCREASE THEIR SUPPORT OF MUSIC AND HISTORY EDUCATION PARTNERS. THE SURF BALLROOM CREATED AND NOW OFFERS DOWNLOADABLE TEACHING RESOURCES ON THEIR WEBSITE. TEACHERS CAN DOWNLOAD