UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — It will be an afternoon of Bach and ballet, mixed in with the sounds of Puerto Rico.
The creative endeavors of student artists will take centerstage at the Young at Art expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at Penn State Lehigh Valley.
- Student artists will showcase their work at the Lehigh Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance's Young at Art expo
- The event takes place at Penn State Lehigh Valley on Saturday, March 11
- Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The young artists will be joined by faculty and staff from local organizations such as ArtsQuest, Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Puertorrican Culture Preservation Association, the Baum School of Art, Pennsylvania Youth Theater, Allentown Symphony, Da Vinci Science Center, Moravian University, Repertory Dance Theatre, DeSales University Performing Arts, Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Lehigh Valley Martial Arts and Mikayla's Voice.
The expo sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance (LVACA) is in its fifth year.
"The event grew and evolved during its 2016 to 2019 run, bringing together different types of entertainment and activities for between 600-800 annual attendees," said Sean King, LVACA's managing director. "This year we're featuring more exhibitors than in any previous year, which is exciting. Time will tell how our 2023 attendance holds up to previous years."
Becoming more inclusive
Several organizations aim to cultivate diverse student and teacher populations by building partnerships with local schools.
"For example, the Community Music School, The Baum School of Art and the Allentown Symphony/El Sistema LV all do extensive outreach programs with the Allentown School District and Allentown community organizations," King said.
"We're also joined this year by the Puertorrican Culture Preservation Association, [which] offers a variety of programs and events rooted in Puerto Rican cultural traditions, and we're also working to make the event as accessible as possible for all attendees with a fully accessible event location, ASL interpretation and a sensory room for use by attendees."
Meet the artists and their teachers
The free event gives families a chance to mingle with teachers and staff from different youth arts programs in the Lehigh Valley.
“Young at Art is a one-stop shop for families to connect with creative experiences and arts programming in the Lehigh Valley,” King said. “Children and teens will find inspiration by trying out new forms of creative expression and witnessing performances by their peers. Parents and caregivers can meet creative education providers and gather information about summer camps, classes and lessons.”
"We're also working to make the event as accessible as possible for all attendees with a fully accessible event location, ASL interpretation and a sensory room for use by attendees."Sean King, Lehigh Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance
In between watching the student-led music, dance and theater performances, children will be able to try out musical instruments and participate in interactive arts activities such as face painting, drawing and art games.
Scholarship contest
In addition, four $100 scholarships will be awarded to Young at Art attendees who sign up for a contest upon entry to the expo.
The money can be used toward any of the organizations for programs such as music lessons or summer camp registration.
A full list of exhibitors can be found on LVACA's website.
