Young artists shine at downtown festival

It’s good to be a kid in Sarasota — especially an artistic kid.

From the Sarasota Ballet to the Sarasota Orchestra, it seems as if every arts organization in town has a thriving youth program.

Parents, how do you keep up?

Last weekend’s YouthArts Fest, sponsored by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, provided the ultimate platform for young artists and performers to showcase their skills.

The morning kicked off with a loud wakeup call: the Sarasota School of Arts + Sciences’ Tiger Drum Line led by Director Elizabeth Farrell.

The program rolled on with performances by the Sarasota Ballet School, Florida Studio Theatre’s Musical Theatre class, Booker High School’s VPA Dance program and Bay Haven School’s chorus and violin ensembles.

By mid-afternoon, the Alliance Stage at Five Points Park had hosted more than 18 different acts, including the Sarasota Youth Opera, The Players Kids, the Sarasota Music Academy and the West Coast Civic Ballet.

This was (of course) in addition to the festival’s busy craft stands and student art exhibits. If you didn’t know any better, you’d have thought downtown Sarasota’s beloved Arts Day was back.
 

Contact Heidi Kurpiela at [email protected]