Arts Education Showcase Celebrates Art in the Scottsdale Community

Because community is at the heart of Scottsdale Arts and the arts are at the heart of our community, join Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach to celebrate a "Work of HeArt" from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 2, during the 8th Annual Arts Education Showcase at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St.

The showcase has adopted the "Work of HeArt" theme for this year as it invites members of the community to experience a free, fun-filled celebration of the visual and performing arts, each representing a different aspect of Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach's efforts in the community, from the organization's work with local schools and nonprofit organizations to its outreach work with seniors.

"The arts are a crucial part of what makes our community vibrant, thriving, and healthy," said Natalie Marsh, director of Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach. "They contribute to our creative economy, build empathy by bringing people together, and make our community a beautiful place to live, work, and visit. That is why the education team at Scottsdale Arts engages with people of all ages and abilities to ensure everyone has access to the public, performing, and visual arts."

Each year, more than 40,000 youth and adults share moments of discovery through Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach's diverse school and community programs, including Memory Lounge, Poetry: Personal to Performance, and Marvel & Make.

The event will include exhibitions, activities, and displays from partnerships with schools, community organizations, and City of Scottsdale senior centers. Among Showcase features are artistic bowls from the Alli Ortega Empty Bowls Benefit Sale, photographic and written works by youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, a woodburning demonstration, and performances by student musicians, singers, and dancers.

Attendees can even take part in some creative activities, including the opportunity to design your own friendly felt monster at Marble Mountain, which was recently featured at the Scottsdale Arts Festival.

"This year, Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach collaborated with partners across the Valley to touch more lives than ever before," said Chris Harthun, arts education coordinator for the organization. "While the individuals that we work with are diverse, the arts reach and connect us at the core of our humanity. Art is a universal language that transcends boundaries, heals, and gives hope."

Many family members and friends of the student and senior artists attend the event alongside local educators and members of the Scottsdale City Council. The free event is also open to the public, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP online. Visit EducationShowcase.ScottsdaleArts.org for information.

Through its partnership with the City of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational opportunities that foster active, lifelong community engagement with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through four acclaimed divisions - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), Scottsdale Public Art and Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach - serving more than 400,000 participants annually.

Scottsdale Arts' Education & Outreach initiatives build a strong, vibrant community through the arts. The high-quality exhibitions, programs and events foster dialogue, promote tolerance, invoke wonder and build connections to each other. Matinee performances, guided museum tours, hands-on workshops, artist residencies and creative aging programs serve more than 40,000 students and adults annually.

Photo Credit: Betty Hum