James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts

The James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts was established as a school to (a) conduct education and training for young performers, (b) provide and develop an advanced level of curriculum, faculty and facilities for instruction and year-round public performances and (c) conduct festivals, workshops and other educational activities for artistic training, research, and education of the general public.See Schedule O for additional details. Round Top Music Festival: Annually, one hundred or so advanced young music students representing an average of eleven countries come to study under the organization's accomplished music faculty and six different conductors from around the world. The young artists work with the faculty to study and improve their instrumental and performance skills and learn and perform chamber music programs and a new orchestral concert each week. Their instruction is tuition-free. The students pay a nominal fee to cover part of their room and board. The James Dick Foundation provides housing and meals to the young artists, faculty, and guest conductors on our 210-acre campus. The August-to-April Concert Series includes a variety of performances including piano recitals, bell ringers, and brass concerts; instrumental ensembles from various universities; the Nutcracker Ballet danced by children for children of all ages; and various choral groups. These events bring over 5,000 visitors to Festival Hill each year. The events are designed to teach and entertain. Between artistic events, the campus is used for conferences. As part of community outreach, the campus is used for regional high school track meets. The hall is also used by high school bands and choral groups, and for local school graduations. Meeting facilities are also made available to other nonprofits in the area. August-to-April Forum Series: The three forums typically presented each year offer educational and exploratory experiences in the arts and humanities.- Theater Forum at Round Top - The annual three-day forum is designed to heighten the awareness of theater and the world of music through talks and performances by theatrical scholars and practitioners for students, teachers, and the general public. - Herbal Forum at Round Top - The annual two-day forum attracts between two and three hundred plant lovers, gardeners, and herbalists to the campus each year. On the first day, registrants can participate in interactive workshops on various botanical arts and culinary practices, among others. The following day offers a schedule of educational lectures and presentations in the concert hall by professionals on the culinary and medicinal benefits and uses of various herbs, plants, and spices. - Poetry at Round Top - The three-day forum is an annual festival presenting the nation's most exciting and prominent poets. Forum participants experience poetry through readings, workshops, and conversations. Manuscript consultations and workshops are offered to assist students in creative writing programs and aspiring poets from all walks of life in the craft of poetry. The forum also offers an afternoon designed for selected secondary school students and teachers, featuring training through readings and workshops.