YEA! Young Evanston Artists Day on May 19th
This year, YEA! will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a very special YEA! Day, Saturday, May 19, 10am-4pm, on the sidewalks of the Chicago/Dempster business district. Due to construction of the new CTA viaduct the performance stage will be moved to Dempster St. east of Chicago Ave. Rain site this year is the new Roycemore School, Church St. & Ridge Ave. YEA! Day provides a forum for children to exhibit and perform their art in a noncompetitive 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. In March of this year, YEA! was the recipient of the Mayor’s Award for the Arts at the Chamber of Commerce State of the City luncheon.
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. Special events at this year’s YEA! include a raffle, and silent auction. According to Matt Doherty: “As president of YEA! I am enormously proud that we have been able to honor the creativity of Evanston youth for 25 years. YEA! is an Evanston institution and I expect it to be around in May 25 years from now. Of course we couldn’t do it without the countless hours teachers and volunteers give to make YEA! Day happen.”
Everyone can help support YEA! Shop at Whole Foods South on Chicago Avenue any day from now until June 30th and they will contribute .10cents for every bag filled.
In September of 2012 the YEA! Foundation will launch 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. 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.