Program designed for Pre-K-2nd grade children features statewide partners; kids encouraged to submit talent show segments for possible broadcast

Arkansas PBS will premiere the original pre-K-2 children’s program “Blueberry’s Clubhouse,” produced in partnership with the Arkansas Arts Center at 10 a.m. Fridays, July 24-Aug. 14. Kids can join Blueberry, a fun-loving puppet guide to engaging and insightful activities for students out of school for the summer months, on adventures across The Natural State.

“Through ‘Blueberry’s Clubhouse,’ Arkansas PBS will continue teaching children through the summer months by providing daily education and activities, proving that learning never takes a vacation,” said Arkansas PBS Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger. “By working with local instructors, museums, parks and artists, ‘Blueberry’s Clubhouse’ will introduce enriching educational content to engage and inspire children and families.”

A digital series will accompany the broadcast program. New content and activities will be released on Facebook each weekday morning beginning July 20.

“After our experience with creating content for students partnering with the Department of Education for AMI this past spring, it really inspired us to create new content that reached this audience,” says Levi Agee, director of production. “It is a true work of creative ingenuity and passion as we have only been working on it for about a month with a meager budget and we will have four unique 30-minute episodes for broadcast and our digital audience leading up to when kids are back to school.”

Episodes will be available to watch each Friday at 10 a.m. on ARPBS-1, myarkansaspbs.org/blueberrysclubhouse, Facebook and youtube.com/myarkansaspbs, as well as in the Engage Arkansas PBS app and PBS Video app.

“‘Blueberry’s Clubhouse’ presents a wonderful opportunity for young people and families to explore The Natural State without leaving home,” Katie Campbell, Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre and Performing Arts Director, said. “Families will also find that the challenges Blueberry and her friends face throughout the series reflect some of their own experiences – providing space to learn and grow together in the process.”

The final episode will feature a special talent show, and Arkansas PBS is currently seeking submissions from children across the state. From painting to “flossing,” and singing to juggling, Blueberry is looking for some talented kids to show off their skills. Submissions should be original and suitable to perform for classmates. Parents can film their children’s talent show submission – no more than 30 seconds – with a camera or cell phone. Videos can be shared with Arkansas PBS by uploading the video to wetransfer.com, Google Drive, Dropbox or One Drive and emailing the link to feedback@myarkansaspbs.org by close of business Monday, Aug. 3.

“We follow our friendly puppet Blueberry and her friend Max (Maxine) as they begin their summer camp with curiosity overcoming challenges like being stuck indoors and find ingenious ways to cope with their circumstances and connect with the world around them in a new way,” Agee says.

Episodes will include:

  • “Blueberry Weathers the Storm,” July 24. Blueberry is throwing a party for her dear friend, Max, and works to make sure everything is perfect for the special day – even with some thunder clouds on the horizon.
  • “The Mysterious Case of the Missing Caterpillar,” July 31. Blueberry introduces her pet caterpillar. She is trying to come up with a name for it until the unthinkable happens: the caterpillar goes missing!
  • “Into the Wild Blue Yonder,” Aug. 7. Blueberry ventures out into the great outdoors, exploring the sights and sounds of The Natural State.
  • “Blueberry’s End of Summer Jamboree,” Aug. 14. Blueberry is hosting a talent show to lift up all the wonderfully creative and talented kids at camp.

Partners and special guests for the series will include:

  • “Exploring Arkansas” host Chuck Dovish.
  • Al “Papa Rap” Lopez.
  • Museum of Discovery.
  • Little Rock Zoo.
  • Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub at Winrock International.
  • Apple Seeds food education program.
  • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
  • Central Arkansas Library System’s Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library & Learning Center.
  • Arkansas State Parks.
  • Zig Zag – A Place to Make.
  • Historic Arkansas Museum, a museum of the Arkansas Department of Heritage.

The Arkansas Arts Center, located in Little Rock, is the state’s premier center for visual and performing arts, with a world-class collection of more than 14,000 works of international art and a robust schedule of performances, art classes, special exhibitions, education and public programs. The Arkansas Arts Center is currently undergoing an extraordinary transformation that includes the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility, scheduled to open in 2022. Designed by renowned architecture firms, Studio Gang and SCAPE, the new facility will secure the Arkansas Arts Center’s position as one of the top cultural institutions in the state and region. The new Arts Center will feature state-of-the-art galleries, studios, theatre spaces, outdoor event areas, and other spaces to host programming, classes, and performances. The innovative gathering spaces, restaurant, store, and landscaped grounds will position the Arkansas Arts Center as a cultural hub for Little Rock and the Delta region.

Arkansas PBS is Arkansas’s only statewide public media network, which enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. Arkansas PBS delivers daily, essential, local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers through multiple digital platforms, including on-demand services and YouTube TV, and the distinct channels Arkansas PBS, Arkansas PBS Create, Arkansas PBS KIDS, Arkansas PBS WORLD and Arkansas PBS AIRS on SAP. Members with Arkansas PBS Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. Arkansas PBS depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at myarkansaspbs.org. Arkansas PBS is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro) and KETZ (El Dorado).

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