Nicole Bowers

Marketing Intern

Saugatuck Center for the Arts

269.857.2399

nicole@sc4a.org

sc4a.org

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Growing Young Artists 2019

End of the Summer Fiesta Celebration

Fennville, MI - Aug. 1, 2019, The Saugatuck Center for the Arts (SCA) and Fennville Public Schools invite you to our annual Fiesta Celebration, on August 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. Festivities will occur at the park on Main Street and North Maple in downtown Fennville. Admission is free and all are welcome. 

This community celebration has been the highlight of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ Growing Young Artists (GYA) program over the past eight years. The event brings together summer school students, both Title 1 and migrant children, their families, teachers, community members and special guest professional artist Mandy Cano Villalobos, to celebrate all the artwork GYA students create during the four-week program.

"GYA gives voice and agency to students in the creation of art; it challenges them to use their own stories and their own hands to represent themselves. Really, there is nothing more empowering for our youth than being asked to create something and being given the tools, time, and inspiration to do so… I believe that kind of art changes more than just the student,” said Corey Harbaugh, director of learning at Fennville.

This year’s theme, Tú Eres Familia, includes both Kindergarten through eighth grade students enrolled in Fennville's summer school program and migrant program and showcases a mixed media installation, created by the students, reflecting on the importance of family. 

“We focused our projects and writing prompts around this theme and they were encouraged to think about what family means to them and what family could look like in their different communities,” said GYA Instructor Calin Firlit.

The Saugatuck Center for the Arts and Fennville Public Schools invite you to join them at the 2019 Growing Young Artists Fiesta and hear students spoken-word presentations, listen to live music by Grupo Super Nova and enjoy performances from Vizions Dance. Taste paletas, Palazollo's gelato, custom-designed T-shirts screen-printed onsite with The Printmobile, face-painting, friendship bracelets, bubbles and games.

“I'm looking forward to seeing all of our hard work up on display! I hope that the kids and their families are proud of the work they have made. I am excited to witness everything come together as a statement in favor of community and relationship building through art-making,” said GYA Instructor Emily Lindbloom.

The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is dedicated to creating a vibrant arts community in West Michigan by hosting professional theater, exhibitions, films, concerts and educational programming year-round. Less than one hour from Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and South Haven, the SCA will serve 30,000 children, families and adults during 2019.

For additional information please contact Whitney Valentine at 269-857-2399 ex 125, or email whitney@sc4a.org.

A big thank you to our sponsors: The Fennville DDA, Fennville Schools, Allegan County Community Mental Health Services, Perrigo, Palazzolo's Artisan Dairy, Migrant Resource Council (AOB), Michigan Migrant Education Program, Migrant Resource Coalition of West Michigan and special thanks for our volunteer builder, Keith Paterson.