The Kauffman Center Announces Virtual FUTURE STAGES FESTIVAL

The Kauffman Center has announced virtual Future Stages Festival will debut a weekend of engaging online content June 12 and 13, 2021. This year's FREE virtual festival will feature stunning performance videos, engaging family-friendly activities and attention-grabbing livestreamed content.

Future Stages Festival is a free community event that showcases youth performers and interactive arts activities from organizations throughout the Kansas City Metro area and beyond. It celebrates diversity in the arts and provides these performers with the opportunity to showcase their talents. Since its inception in 2014, Future Stages Festival has welcomed more than 30,000 guests and featured more than 4,000 young performers from hundreds of performance groups. When COVID-19 forced last year's festival to a virtual stage, the Kauffman Center found innovative ways to showcase these performers. Last year, more than 35 groups took the stage virtually, hundreds of children enjoyed virtual activities and livestreamed tours of the Center garnered thousands of views during and after the festival.

The Kauffman Center is building on 2020's virtual experience by extending the festival over two days. On June 12, festival-goers will visit the virtual Future Stages Festival webpage to watch pre-recorded dance, theater, choral and instrumental performance videos. They will also find a family-friendly activity booklet full of do-it-at-home crafts, coloring pages and other activities for all ages.

New this year, select performance groups will be featured in Facebook Watch Parties. These performance videos will debut June 12 through the social media platform and will allow the community to cheer, applaud and enjoy amazing performances together ... virtually.

Then on June 13, the Center will livestream tours and community-partner-led activities for families to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.

"Future Stages Festival is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talented youth performers and arts organizations in our community. The festival brings together children, families and friends to enjoy diverse performances and interactive arts activities. While we miss seeing everyone in person, this year we're highlighting performers and community partners virtually and finding new, exciting ways to engage online when we can't be together at the Center," said Paul Schofer, president and CEO of the Kauffman Center.

Visit the virtual Future Stages Festival webpage for more information and event registration. Registrants will be emailed a coupon packet to local businesses after the festival concludes.