Creative Kids SRQ hosts first block party event with Youth Art Fest

For Ireland Adisna, 14, art started with drawing stick figures when she was three.

“Basically, it’s all I can think about,” she said. Her mother Caitlin Cranfill confirms she does artwork “basically every day” and “all the time.”

Currently, she likes drawing “spooky creatures,” including cats and “a lot of whacky stuff.” 

“I think it was because I started getting into the dark side of my imagination at one point,” Adisna said.

She also enjoyed the chance to showcase and sell her artwork to the public on April 26. 

“We're going to sell every painting out there,” said Tom Murray, a co-founder of Creative Kids SRQ, during Youth Art Fest 2025, held April 26.

Murray later confirmed all paintings did indeed sell out, as they had at the organization's VIP night at Art Ovation Hotel on April 24.

The event, which took place along Palm Avenue and featured displays of kids' art, vendors and live music by Compound, was a major expansion of the last year's art fest held at Palm Avenue Fine Art.

Getting creative with the events scene

The organization began with outreach work co-founder Anna Leyson had been performing for the past 10 years that started in Nashville, Tennessee and moved to Washington, D.C. 

After Leyson moved to Florida, she was looking to bring similar programming to Sarasota.

The nonprofit's founding team comprises of Anna Leyson, Kristen Berry and Tom Murray.

Murray said this year's event became possible after Michael Saunders, founder and CEO of Michael Saunders & Company, entered Palm Avenue Fine Art, where he is manager.

He introduced himself and told her about the concept of a gallery walk along Palm Avenue, which was followed by her becoming the title sponsor for the event.

Leyson said the impact of the nonprofit can extend beyond Sarasota, as the organization is also discussing the idea traveling to other cities with pop-ups, and has received submissions of art from other states. 

"Our goal is to support, encourage, give opportunities for kids to grow into their fullest artistic expression, so that they can impact their community... and to color the future, because the trend that we're going in right now, is not very bright," she said. "We need that. We need that soul back into the world, and we're trying to remind them of what's inside, so today was a little, tiny example of what we can do."

Leyson said the team still had hoped to see more vendors and art submissions, although she was satisfied with attendance, which she estimated was at least 1,000 people. 

She said the team had aimed for about 60 vendors, but had about half that amount. 

"We wanted bigger numbers, so in our general team, it's like we didn't hit the mark," she said. "For me, as long as everyone's happy and having a good time, then that's a success, and we learned a lot this year, even though there are some things we could do differently."

For young artists, having their art seen by the public will be a step towards a potential career. 

Following her acceptance into Booker High's Film & Animation Program, Adisna is currently taking steps toward the field of animation.

“It's amazing, because I'm not artistic at all, so it's great seeing her be expressive, and I'm also so proud of her for having her art in the festival," Cranfil said. "It’s amazing."

“It's fun, because I've never done anything like this before,” said Charlie Queen, 9, after selling his painting of a sunset.

Even though he sold the work, it wasn't his primary style of painting.

“I like to paint a lot of things, like abstract art," he said. "I'm not the best at realism, but I do it sometimes."

Queen's aunt Kim Hall was also proud as well. 

“I really love that they do this, and I think that it's really a great opportunity for kids to showcase their work and gain confidence in their abilities, and it inspires them to continue to grow, so I think that's really a great opportunity to have this kind of platform, and Sarasota is the place for it, for sure.”