Since 1990, the North Central Louisiana Arts Council has offered annual Summer Arts Camps in five parishes: Lincoln, Jackson, Bienville, Claiborne and Union. We currently have seven camps scheduled for 2012 and have begun taking early registration. In addition to providing a specialized experience different from what children get in their schools, NCLAC strives to make its camps accessible to students of all income levels.

We are offering the sponsorship program, "Pick Your Picasso," in order to provide $1,500 in scholarships to 25 students with financial need. Teachers in each parish will be asked to nominate recipients based on need, a love of the arts and a talent for the arts. Then if sponsored, these students will receive a paid-in-full tuition for the Summer Arts Camp in their parish.

With the help of our sponsors, NCLAC can offer these students a chance to become Picassos for a week, and hopefully, a lifetime. A donation of just $60 will sponsor one child in full. A donation of any amount will help with the cost of supplies, snacks and professional educators for your Picasso. Last year's Pick Your Picasso scholars received an amazing experience that they otherwise would have missed.

Picasso donors will be thanked by name in the August 3 “Art Talk” of The Ruston Daily Leader. This column will also be sent to newspapers in each parish we serve.

You can call 255-1450 or email us at nclac5@gmail.com for more information. You can also donate online via paypal by clicking the "donate" button to the right of this article.