Barb Smith is the coordinator of the Arts Bus Project, a collaboration between the Chandler Center for the Arts, The White River Craft Center, Kimball Public Library, the White River Valley Boys’ and Girls’ Club and the Vermont Independent School for the Arts. The bus is scheduled to make its first appearance during Randolph’s 4th of July celebrations. The following is an edited interview with Smith.

People say, “You’re doing what? What do you mean, Arts Bus?” Well, it’s a traveling arts classroom inside a school bus. When I passed around a picture of the Arts Bus to some middle school students a few weeks ago, their reactions were incredible. “This is just the coolest thing ever! When can we go? Is it really free?” I’m amazed by how many people are trying to get the bus into their community and it’s not even together yet.

In a time when school budgets are being cut severely, the first thing that typically goes will be arts education. Randolph has such a rich community of artists and really talented arts teachers, and we’re saying, “No, we’re going to keep arts alive even if people don’t have the money to support it right now.” The Arts Bus is a traveling advertisement for arts education.

We’re trying to stretch the students’ awareness about what art really can be. It’s not only painting and drawing, it’s learning how to think creatively and live creatively.

One week, we’re going to teach students how to build simple instruments using recyclables. Another week we’ll have a puppet company, then a dancer and a movement therapist, and a vocalist. I really want students to see the Arts Bus not just as something to do on the weekends or after school, but more of a creative movement towards how they could live their lives.

Through our two- year study working on this, we really were struck by the research that kept coming back to us. We became aware of what’s become known as the “screen generation,” students that are being kept company in the after-school hours by computers or video games or television, rather that interacting with other people. We really were shocked by what we were seeing, just the percentages of students that have no creative outlet or don’t know how to think creatively. Richard Florida published this book about the creative economy and how it improves the economy in towns. Areas that have a large number of artists, musicians and other creative people tend to be more vital communities. So what we’re trying to build is a community around this Arts Bus.

I think that by having youth collaborate, it will bring people together and build a bigger sense of community. People are looking for deeper meaning and finding it through the arts rather than through televisions, video games and Twitter.

To get involved in the Arts Bus project or donate materials, contact Barb Smith at (802) 234-6987.