08/11/2026
Last week was a blast as we celebrated the August concerts of the Music & Meaning series!
The Back to School Bash brought families together for an evening full of music, movement, creativity, and fun. Kids enjoyed a free meal from Berea Kids Eat, cooled off during a foam party, participated in art activities, picked up free school supplies, and danced along to the family-friendly hip-hop of Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the start of a new school year while giving children and families a chance to connect, play, and enjoy time together.
Saturday brought a different, but equally special, experience as we gathered on the front lawn of the hospital for performances by Jewelweed and The Local Honeys. Friends, families, and neighbors spread out across the lawn for live music and community, bringing our August concerts to a close.
Throughout the Music & Meaning series, we've seen how music and the arts can create opportunities for connection across generations. Whether dancing in a foam party, creating art, sharing a meal, listening to music on the lawn, or simply catching up with a neighbor, these shared experiences help strengthen relationships and create a greater sense of belonging in the community.
Through participant surveys, we are continuing to learn more about how these events support social connection and well-being, particularly for older Bereans who may experience loneliness or social isolation. Thank you to everyone who has taken a few minutes to share your experiences with us, your feedback helps us understand the impact of this work and shape future opportunities for connection.
A heartfelt thank you to AMP Berea, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Jewelweed, The Local Honeys, Erica Chambers Photography, Berea Kids Eat, Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, Amethyst Forest, Berea College, the Levitt Foundation, our volunteers, community partners, and everyone who attended. It truly takes a community to create experiences like these.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports AMP Berea with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kentucky Arts Council.
