Willow Oak offers classes and workshops in the
performing and visual arts, folk arts and expressive arts for children and adults. Our Kids Create series offers an
event for children one Saturday each month. We hope
you’ll find something for you and your family in our classes and events. We have two Children's Choruses,
a training chorus and an advanced chorus. Topics of workshops span a broad range from creative writing to Civil War
history. We are grateful to be able to
use First Presbyterian and Central Christian Churches for our classes and events.
Willow Oak is a participating organization of the Collaborative Arts Project (CAP), which
presented "Peter and the Wolf" in June 2009.
Willow Oak, in addition to supporting the arts in
the public school system, provides classes designed for homeschooled students.
We received our first Tennessee
Arts Commission "Arts Build Communities" grant in 2008. The grant, in addition to contributions from local
businesses, individuals and foundations, funded our first Multicultural Arts Festival on March 28, 2009. West African
drummers, Polynesian and Hispanic dancers from Global Education Center of Nashville performed for 87 children and 63
volunteers. Hispanic and Native American art activities in addition to storytelling were enjoyed. The event, held
at the Center in Springfield, was free to the children of Robertson County.
Funding
for Willow Oak comes from the contributions of individuals, businesses and organizations in addition to grants. Our
membership program provides unique benefits to its members, while helping elevate the quality of life in Robertson County
by supporting the arts and learning. Members' support provides not only for our school's sustainability, but
ensures that our classes, workshops, Kids Create activities and Children's Choruses are offered at affordable prices to
the community.
We’re excited to be offering this enrichment center to the community. With your support, the possibilities
of our programming are endless!
Best wishes in your exploration and growth!
Muzetta Swann, Executive Director
June
2007
In the summer of 2007 a wonderful new venture has been quietly taking root on a shady street in Indian Hills.
Muzetta Swann, well known to many Robertson County residents for her voice and piano classes and as a gifted organist at local
churches, has been busily dreaming about a center for arts education and development in her own backyard. This fall,
Willow Oak Center for Arts & Learning at Robertson County has begun offering classes in a variety of disciplines and Muzetta’s
dream will finally become a reality.
Willow Oak is now chartered as a non-profit corporation in the state
of Tennessee and a seven-member board has been formed to help grow Muzetta’s vision. Shelby Green Andal, Larry
Dean, Amy Frederick, Patti Gregory, Renee Harrington, Rachel Slusser, Terri DeYong and Margot Fosnes have joined in
the commitment of founding this center. Seed money for the venture has been received from The Stokes and Sarah Brown Charitable
Foundation. With a goal of “offering quality instruction and opportunities for self-growth and discovery in the performing,
visual, folk, and expressive arts”, the Center will begin its inaugural semester with four class offerings covering
art, sewing, music and foreign languages. Classes typically meet once per week and last between six and sixteen
weeks.
Muzetta Swann’s dream is for Willow Oak Center for Arts and Learning to become a regional, self-supporting
resource for Robertson County which will “provide opportunities for cultural development for men, women and children
from all walks of life who are lifetime learners open to growth and exploration”. She envisions a permanent facility
in a vibrant natural setting which will become a home for nurture of the arts community in our area. With the help of art
lovers in Robertson County, this seedling should grow soon into a mighty tree.
