Youth in Arts Festival Shines Spotlight on Dearborn Student Artists

The 2013 Youth in Arts Festival will take place on Wednesday, April 24 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

The festival features visual, instrumental, choral and theatrical offerings from more than 400 students from Dearborn Public Schools and Henry Ford Community College. The event is free and open to the public to attend.

Festival activities begin at 4 p.m. with the opening of Dearborn Public Schools' citywide art show at the center’s Padzieski Gallery. The exhibit, which remains in the gallery through May 27, includes selected works from K-12 students.

Opening remarks occur at 4:10 p.m. in the Michael A. Guido Theater followed by "Senior Talks" in the gallery at 5:30 p.m.

Artist demonstrations in the theater lobby commence at 6:30 p.m. with music provided by a Dearborn Youth Symphony ensemble. Representatives from the Dearborn Symphony and Friends of the Dearborn Symphony will host an information table.

The collage performance in the Michael A. Guido Theater begins at 7:30 p.m. Special guest performers include Dearborn Public Schools graduates G. Kevin Dewey and Bree Rafferty Dowhan. Dewey will be joined by Anna Hnatiuk Dewey.

Choral performances will include: the Elementary Honors Choir, the Secondary Honors Choir, Fordson High School Vocal Ensemble, and HFCC's Blue Fusion.

Instrumental performances will be provided by: Maples Arabic Music Ensemble 2013, Edsel Ford High School Jazz Ensemble, and Bryant Middle School Orchestra.

Dearborn High School theater arts performers under the direction of Gregory P. Viscomi will perform selections from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Honorary chairman for the festival are Mayor John B. O’Reilly and Dearborn Public Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston.

Youth in Arts Festival is a co-operative project by the Dearborn Community Fund, Dearborn Public Schools, and Henry Ford Community College.

For more YIA information or other Dearborn Community Fund projects, call 313-943-5478 or visit www.dearborncommunityfund.org.