Youth Art Fest: Annual Art Party

Guardians of the Gulf - Join in on a communal project brought to you by Mote Marine; make your favorite sea creature out of recycled materials and add it to the installation to create an immersive aquarium tunnel. This workshop is meant to raise awareness for a cleaner Gulf. All materials are recycled and the installation itself will be reused for many festivals and exhibitions to come. (Creative Partner- Mote Marine)

 

Experimentation Station- Art can take many forms, but as is true with any form of expression, the ability to lose oneself in the process is the cornerstone of creating a lifelong artistic practice. The art of play is the primary focus of this station; participants will have access to a wide variety of materials such as clay, sand, slime, string, paint, color pencils, wire, found objects, etc. Celebrate raw creativity, experimentation, and artistic discovery in this free for all sensory focused workshop. (Independent Experience)

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Spread Love- If you’ve ever driven or walked around SRQ, you’ve more than likely caught a glimpse of this artist's work ❤️ Join Brandon Thrift for a live, immersive “Spread Love” installation where participants will take part in the process of communal art making. “My Spread Love journey began in early April 2020 amidst a global pandemic from the ashes of mental tribulation, the necessity for cathartic rebelliousness and personal development, sprung forth an innate pursuit of youthful expressionism. “ - (Teaching Artist- B.Thrift)

 

Pattern Play-  Patterns are crucial in design as they add visual interest, enhance the aesthetic appeal of a design, can evoke emotions, create a sense of rhythm and repetition, and help to guide the viewer's eye, effectively communicating a brand's identity or the desired mood of a space through their arrangement and style. This stencil workshop will emphasize the importance of patterning in design. (Teaching Artist- Kait Fitzgerald).

 

"Birds of a Feather" Photo Booth- Selfies can get lost in social media feeds or take up valuable storage space on your device; a polaroid lasts forever! Schedule your session to play dress up in our custom designed photography set, and take home a tangible memory of your time at YAF2025. (Teaching Artist- Margaret Ellis)

 

Botanical Relief- Florida is well known for its jungle-esque landscape, with over 4,700 species of native and naturalized plants. The state also has 230 endemic species, meaning they are only found in Florida and nowhere else in the world. This traditional plaster relief workshop allows participants to capture 3D images of their favorite local flora and encourages us to take a deeper look at the roles that individual plant species play in our everyday environment (as well as the roles that we play in theirs). -(Teaching Artist- Savannah Smith).
 

Hybrid Ecology- Join in on creating your own species of insect! Florida is known for its ecological diversity; Florida is home to at least 12,500 insect species, and thousands more land-dwelling arthropods, such as spiders, mites, centipedes, and ticks. Using recycled tech and found objects, participants will create and name their specimen, then display it in a custom wall mount display case to enjoy for years to come. -(Teaching Artist- Emma Keeney).

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Memory Trees- Trees have been known to represent transformation and growth. With their strong trunks and long, expansive branches, trees can help us tell the story of what we have been through and
remind us of our strength as we continue to move forward. Using words, shapes, symbols, and colors, tell your unique story. How have you felt about current events and how have they changed you? Any and all
feelings are welcome.  -(Teaching Artist-  Veronica Zamir).

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Greater Human Tapestry- Using donated and recycled fabrics, participants will weave together various patterns and textures into what is to become a winding web of colors, braids, and knots, symbolizing the diverse, intertwining connections that shape our own lives and tie us places and one another. -(Teaching Artist/Creative Partner- Olivia D"Amico, Friendly City Foundation).

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Trash Deco- Make a wall piece using found objects and recycled materials. Keep your masterpiece or plant is somewhere for the public to enjoy. Be sure to take a pic and tag us if you do @creativekidssrq ! -(Teaching Artist- Jackie Marie). 

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Step inside: Stars in the Night- “Without the dark, we'd never see the stars." What are some of the gifts of the dark times in your life?  Step inside a tie dye space dome to a night scene with brilliant nebulas and plant your own star seed. Use words and images to build a star that represents what gifts you have found in the darkness. -(Teaching Artist-  Kristen Berry).

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