FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 22, 2006
CONTACT: Sarah McGreer Hoyt
sarah@maaa.org
816-516-1993

Snoopy Flies into His First Stop on Nationwide Tour

Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace opens on July 5, 2006, at the Olmsted County Historical Society in Rochester, Minnesota. The exhibition, which presents Charles M. Schulz’s lovable beagle, Snoopy, as his alter ego, the Flying Ace, showcases 40 of Snoopy’s most exciting adventures in his transformed doghouse—now a Sopwith Camel airplane—from his showdown with a deadly bout of influenza to rounds of aeronautical sparring with his archenemy, the Red Baron. Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace is toured by ExhibitsUSA, a national program of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a non-profit regional arts organization based in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the 1950s, when comics were dominated by action and adventure, slapstick and gags, Minnesota cartoonist Charles M. Schulz dared to confront a lifelong sense of alienation and insecurity by drawing the real feelings of his life and times. His Peanuts characters’ insights on life’s struggles and disappointment have resonated with readers for more than 50 years. Yet Snoopy (who was based on Schulz’s childhood black-and-white dog, Spike) possesses a unique view of the world that stands out to readers, even in the quirky Peanuts cast.

Schulz served as a sergeant in the army and had always wanted to draw adventure comic strips but had been told to stick with what he did best—funny kids. However, after 15 years as a cartoonist, on Sunday, October 10, 1965, he finally had the opportunity to create his hero: Snoopy, the World War I Flying Ace. Visitors to this exhibit can follow Snoopy on his imaginary adventures through the skies of Europe. Forty digital prints from the original drawings done by Schulz are on display, along with accompanying photographs of the artist.

The exhibition will continue to tour through April 2011 with stops currently scheduled in an additional nine states across the nation.

Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace is organized by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center and toured by ExhibitUSA. The purpose of ExhibitsUSA is to create access to an array of arts and humanities exhibitions, nurture the development and understanding of diverse art forms and cultures, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth of cultural life in local communities.

ExhibitsUSA is one of many programs of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a regional arts organization founded in 1972. Mid-America is governed by a board of directors drawn from its partner states: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. Major support for Mid-America Arts Alliance is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, participant state arts agencies, and leading foundations and corporations. For further information, please visit www.maaa.org.


Snoopy as World War I Flying Ace
Tour Schedule as of June 22, 2006
(Click here to view most recent schedule)

Olmsted County Historical Society
Rochester, Minnesota
7/5/2006–8/16/2006

The R W Norton Art Gallery
Shreveport, Louisiana
9/1/2006–10/5/2006

Shafer Art Gallery
Great Bend, Kansas
10/21/2006–12/15/2006

Mid South Community College
West Memphis, Arkansas
3/25/2007–4/30/2007

Old Bedford School
Bedford, Texas
5/15/2007–6/20/2007

Arlington Heights Historical Society
Arlington Heights, Illinois
7/5/2007–10/5/2007

Allen Public Library
Allen, Texas
10/21/2007–11/30/2007

Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum
New York, New York
12/15/2007–4/30/2008

Stauth Memorial
Montezuma, Kansas
7/5/2008–8/16/2008

College Park Aviation Museum
College Park, Maryland
9/1/2008–11/30/2008

Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council, Inc.
Texarkana, Texas
12/15/2008–1/19/2009

Boulder History Museum
Boulder, Colorado
2/3/2009–6/20/2009

Museum of History and Art Ontario
Ontario, California
7/5/2009–8/16/2009

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