Photo by Jill Porada (above)
Last year was the third Arts Night hosted by Urban Impact. Over 200 children come together to showcase their talent in the performing arts.

Photo courtesy of Urban Impact website (below)
The Urban Impact Singers is an invitation-only group that travels across the country throughout the summer and school year.  They spread the word about Urban Impact ministries and proclaim the personal difference Christ has made in their lives.

By Alyse Horn

In its fourth consecutive year, Arts Night hosted by Urban Impact will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16 at the Allegheny Center Alliance Church, 250 E. Ohio St.

Tammy Glover, the director of performing arts at Urban Impact, said overall there are about 200 performers ranging in ages from first to 12th grades. The performances will consist of mostly Northside children who have been diligently fine tuning their talents to showcase it during Arts Night.

Glover said there will be an elementary mime group and ballet performance, an improve acting group and various vocal and instrumental performances. One of the choir groups will be the Urban Impact Singers, which is a small traveling signing group supported by Urban Impact.

The instructors who have helped the children throughout the year are Performing Arts Academy Director Eric Anderson, Vocal Music Coordinator Matthew Mason, Instrumental Coordinator Lorenze Jefferson and Choir Director Sheri Turnbull.

This year will be the first performance from Urban Impact’s youth orchestra, which Glover said is made up of 10 children who have been practicing after school Monday through Thursday. Glover said the children started at “ground zero” with little to no knowledge of playing the brass or woodwind instruments that make up the orchestra, and attendees will be “amazed” at what the children have learned in six months.

Glover said the event is free, but attendees will want to come early to get a good seat. The venue holds about 750 people, but for the Urban Impact’s Christmas event in December there were some people who had to stand for the performances.

“It’s great to come and hear [the children] and cheer on something positive happening with kids in the inner city,” Glover said. “[We would] love people to come and see [the kids] and be blessed with what young people are occupying their time with all year long.”

Urban Impact was established in 1995 by Rev. Dr. Ed Glover to help community development on the Northside, with the slogan of “Changing lives one person, one family, one block at a time.”

According to its press release, “The organization focuses on helping at-risk kids, youth, and their families in a holistic manner; i.e. by meeting needs academically, spiritually, physically and socially. Financial support comes from charitable foundations, corporations, churches and individuals.”