Children’s Festival of the Arts

Art Behind Bars, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, and the Key West Art & Historical Society are pleased to announce the success of the recent Children’s Festival of the Arts , held April 12 th at E. Martello Tower. With more than 40 groups participating through exhibitions, performances, and creative activities for children, the event drew almost 1,000 attendees throughout the day, and succeeded in raising public awareness of all the arts and cultural programs available to children in the Keys.

Event planners are pleased to announce that the entire festival, which was also a fundraiser for Take Stock in Children, was able to raise 1.5 college scholarships for

deserving children. The amount raised, more than $2,600, will be matched at the local level by several generous benefactors, and matched again at the state level.

Members of the planning committee included Lynne Vantriglia & Janis Stevens of Art Behind Bars, Andrea Comstock of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, Nora Lynch & Diane Rippe of the Key West Art & Historical Society, entertainment co-ordinator Skipper Kripitz, soundman TJ McGann, stage manager Heather Heels, and emcees George Murphy & Mimi McDonald. Cash donations from Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville & First State Bank, plus in-kind contributions from the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, Pepsi, Reddy Ice, MacArthur Music, Waste Management, the Hilton Resort, New York Pizza, and Solares Hill Design Group helped to insure that all proceeds from the event went towards Take Stock in Children.

There is still time to participate in this exciting initiative. Go to www.artbehindbars.org

and click on the hand at the bottom of the home page to get information or purchase a “stock certificate”. A 1% share of a college education can be had for a mere $17.50, and make a big difference in the life of a child.