YEA! (Young Evanston Artists) Day to Be Held May 21
Hundreds of school children have been working hard all year for this special day when their visual and performing art is the focus of Evanston’s only children’s art festival. The excitement goes from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the corners of Chicago Ave. and Dempster St. In case of rain, Yea! will take place at Dawes School, 440 Dodge Avenue at Oakton.
Come experience the magic!
The purpose of YEA!Day is to provide a forum for children to exhibit and perform their art in a non-competitive and non-commercial setting. All public, private and parochial schools, pre-school through high school, are invited to participate in this inclusive, non-competitive festival. This year art exhibits and the YEA! Stage will showcase more than 1500 students from 40 schools, and thousands of people will crowd the sidewalks to enjoy their delightful artwork and performances.
Young Evanston Artists founder Harvey Pranian, a local art and antiques dealer whose two children attended Evanston schools, has this to say: “Each year on YEA! Day I feel inspired and energized by the magic of the event. I deeply appreciate the countless hours teachers and volunteers give to make YEA! Day happen for Evanston kids.”
Last year the YEA! Foundation launched an arts and education initiative to expand our mission to “nurture, enable and inspire” young Evanston artists beyond YEA! Day. The goal of the Foundation is to bring together a network of existing community arts resources dedicated to enhancing learning for Evanston students.
“We are grateful to the businesses who are committed to supporting YEA!Day and the YEA Foundation’s educational initiative. They understand that arts enhance learning, and creativity and imagination make for better employees,” said Susan Larson, Development Director.
YEA! Day has widespread community support from the City of Evanston, the Chamber of Commerce, and many local businesses including Title Sponsor Autobarn of Evanston, Make It Better, Evanston RoundTable, Duxler Tire, Hagerty Consulting, Wesley Realty, Whole Foods, Bravo, St. Francis Hospital, First Bank & Trust, and Allegra Printing.
For all the latest information about what’s happening at this year’s YEA!Day, which schools are participating, who’s performing and how to become a YEA! volunteer and supporter log on to www.yeaevanston.org.