Festival Of Arts Honors Young Artists With 2025 Junior Art Awards and Holds Ocean-Inspired Family Art Day

On Sunday, July 13, the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach hosted a vibrant day celebrating youth creativity and community engagement with its 2025 Junior Art Awards Ceremony and the return of the beloved Family Art Day.

The morning began with a celebration of student achievement at the annual Junior Art Awards Ceremony, recognizing the talented young artists featured in the 2025 Junior Art Exhibit. Now in its 78th year, the exhibit showcases nearly 350 works by students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade—carefully selected by a jury of Festival exhibiting artists from thousands of submissions received from schools across Orange County. The 2025 Junior Art Exhibit is sponsored in part by California First Leasing Corporation, Mark Porterfield of Laguna Beach, and the FOA Foundation, with additional support from the Orange County Department of Education.

During the ceremony, Festival Director of Exhibits and Events Christine Georgantas shared that the Junior Art Program has long served as a launchpad for young artists, with some returning years later as professional exhibitors. “The diversity of media this year—from drawing and painting to photography, mixed media, animation and film—is simply incredible,” she said, thanking the jurors and educators who help nurture student talent.

Scott Fitzpatrick, Arts Coordinator from the Orange County Department of Education, also gave a moving speech thanking the art educators in attendance and asking them to stand while the crowd applauded their tireless efforts in uplifting the next generation of creatives.

Festival of Arts President David Perry followed with remarks about the importance of supporting youth in the arts and announced this year's award winners. He explained that after the initial jury selected the 350 exhibited works, a second jury—including representatives from the Festival's sponsors—reviewed the exhibit to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in three categories: 2-D art, 3-D art, and film/animation, across all grade levels. Perry thanked jury members Nancy Darnall (California First Leasing Corporation) and Kirsten Whalen (FOA Foundation) for their service.

In addition to the grade-level awards, 14 students received special recognition from the Festival's Marketing Department, having their artwork selected for the Junior Art Postcards, now available for purchase in the Festival Gift Shop in support of arts education. 

Chief Financial Officer of California First National Bank Leslie Jewett, Mark Porterfield, and FOA Foundation Board Member Kirsten Whalen joined in presenting gold, silver, and bronze medallions and certificates to the winning students.

Following the awards, Family Art Day transformed the Festival grounds into an ocean-inspired immersive experience from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., offering hands-on activities, entertainment, and educational experiences for all ages. Highlights included a 7-foot-long touch tank and a 90-gallon saltwater aquarium featuring sharks, stingrays, sea stars, and more. Organizations like the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, OC Coastkeeper, and the American Cetacean Society of Orange County provided interactive booths with crafts, coloring pages, and fun facts about marine life.

At the Festival's Art Center, sponsored by Bank of America, children created sea animal-themed art projects, while a scavenger hunt sent young explorers through the Fine Art Show and activity booths. Guests enjoyed airbrush tattoos, photo ops with mermaids, and high-flying aerialist performances from Orange County Aerial Arts on the Festival stage.

The Festival of Arts Fine Art Show continues daily through August 29, 2025. General admission is $10 weekdays and $15 weekends, with discounts available for seniors and students. For more information, visit www.foapom.com. Stay connected on social media @FestivalPageant.