A brand new non-profit youth arts center, The PinkCricket Center for Arts Education, will celebrate its Grand Opening in downtown St. Petersburg on Aug. 24. This is the first youth arts center of its kind in the Tampa Bay-area, and will focus on the visual arts, literary arts, drama, music, film, fashion design and dance.
"With the financial cuts to the arts in Florida's education system, we really felt that there was a need to offer area youth access to the arts in a very vibrant and motivational way," said
Sara Turner, executive director of The PinkCricket. "We have the opportunity to help foster youth involvement in the arts, support their creativity and individuality, give them the freedom and support they need to develop their artistic skills and provide them with opportunities to learn from local artists and advance their work in very exciting ways."
The PinkCricket will hold its grand opening at its center on 534 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg on Monday, Aug 24 starting at 9 a.m. The ceremony will include introductions and remarks by local philanthropist Scott Wagman, kids activities and performances by local visual and performing artists. (Schedule of events is attached).
Named after co-founders Sara "PinkMeanie" Turner and Jennifer "Cricket" Brendel, The PinkCricket will focus during its first six months on its Arts in the Afternoon after school program, monthly exhibition and performance nights where youth can show their works alongside more established artists and free Friday Studio Nights where middle and high school students can work on their craft with well known local artists.
"Arts in the Afternoon is our signature program and is an after school program for students in grades K-8," said Turner. "Students enrolled have time to work on homework and participate in workshops covering a broad range of arts subjects, including the visual arts, literary arts, drama, music, film, fashion design and dance. Students will select four different arts classes to take for eight weeks at a time. Homework assistance is available and arts courses are taught by local artists. Classes are restricted to 10-15 students per class. Transportation from school will be provided."
Being born and raised in the Tampa Bay-area, the importance of arts to local youth has always been at the forefront for Turner.
"Prior to being selected as a Florida Gubernatorial Fellow by former Governor Jeb Bush and the Arts Liaison for former Florida First Lady Columba Bush, I grew up in St. Petersburg and remember how integral the arts were in forming who I became," said Turner. "I can't forget how Mrs. Kostreva, my fourth grade teacher at Bay Vista Elementary School, would have me sign stories I wrote and tell me she wanted to be able to say she had the first autographed copies. I fondly remember Mr. Berhardt, my elementary school art teacher, coming to class each week with "art on a cart", and trying to sell my art work to my parents' clients at my family's print shop in downtown St. Petersburg after school. In fourth and fifth grade, I was a soap box docent at the Salvador Dali Museum, which introduced me to the art world outside of the classroom. These experiences made a huge impression on me and my career path (I still have my picture as a docent from a St. Petersburg Times article). The arts drove me to attend the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School, where I later became valedictorian in 1996, and eventually led me to get my Masters in Arts Education from Florida State University. The arts have become such an integral part of my everyday life I cannot imagine what my career, even my life, would be without them. This is what drove me to create The PinkCricket Center for Arts Education. I want to help make the arts as important to our next generation in their education, career and life as they were, and still are, to me."
For more information about The PinkCricket Center for Arts Education, the Arts in the Afternoon after school program, and all of their other arts programs, go to
www.thepinkcricket.org, visit their Facebook page or contact Executive Director
Sara Turner at (727) 320-2324 or e-mail the_pink_cricket@yahoo.com.
The PinkCricket Center for Arts Education is a nonprofit center that provides courses and workshops in the arts for local youth. The mission of the PinkCricket is to provide youth equal access to arts education and the arts community; support creativity and individuality; facilitate community involvement in arts education; and reward achievements in the arts. The PinkCricket Center for Arts Education is located at 534 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 and can be reached at (727) 320-2324.
