2/21/2008 By Beth Wilberding Messenger-Inquirer Michael Ricks hopes an upcoming luncheon will help dispel any misconceptions about bluegrass music. The International Bluegrass Music Museum will host the next Arts Teach All luncheon on Wednesday with "Why is the Grass so Blue?" "Basically, it's a trip to let people know why bluegrass music is so important to this area and also why it's important to the state of Kentucky," said Ricks, director of operations for the International Bluegrass Music Museum. The lunch, which is being catered by Famous Bistro, will feature samples of the bluegrass museum's video oral histories and a short presentation followed by the Story of Bluegrass tour. "It will be a lot of music and some good food," Ricks said. He said the Arts Teach All series is important because many people in the area don't "know the true gems they have available to them right here in their community." The bluegrass museum's luncheon is the third in the Arts Teach All series, which is a collaboration of The Learning Community and eight area cultural organizations. "We've had a great response," said Tracy Marksberry, executive director of The Learning Community. "We have had two programs, and they've both been excellent and well-attended." The first two were held at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art and the Owensboro Area Museum of Science and History. There were more than 20 people at each. "That's within the range that we had talked about," Marksberry said. "We felt like we had to have at least 15 attend for the hosting agency to break even on it. ... We'd love to have more, but I've been really pleased with the attendance that we've had." Many of the people who have attended the first two luncheons had either never visited the organizations before or hadn't been to the facilities in a long time, she said. "That's wonderful to get those people back into those institutions," Marksberry said. Another Arts Teach All luncheon is planned for March 3 at the RiverPark Center. To Attend The Arts Teach All luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the International Bluegrass Music Museum. Cost is $15 per person, and reservations are required by Friday. To make a reservation or for more information, contact Tracy Marksberry at The Learning Community at tmarksberry@owensboro.com or 926-4339.