It’s time for my eighth Flash Mob Friday! Gigging musicians and artists have been and will continue to be disproportionately hit by the COVID-19 closings, so each Friday I’m going to point you towards a musician, artist, or organization I think is worth your support. It’s my hope that together we can support artists at a time of great need.
The only rule for participation is that you can’t give disproportionately, either. It’s about the community coming together to support artists, not about any one person being a benefactor.
Michigan Youth Arts is a remarkable nonprofit. Its mission is to advocate for arts education through access, opportunity and cultivation of artistic excellence for all. The highlight of their programming, the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, would have been held for the 58th time this weekend at Western Michigan University. The Festival brings together around 1,000 truly outstanding student artists from across Michigan, in a range of fine and performing arts including dance, film, theatre and forensics, instrumental and vocal music, creative writing, and visual arts.
Some of my most memorable musical experiences have been attending and performing in the recitals hosted by MYAF, and in preparing my students for this special experience. The Thursday night gala performance, featuring outstanding performers from across the represented disciplines, has been the scene to some life-changing performances. I’ll never forget a full performance of the play Wit by a high school cast. I wept.
Michigan Youth Arts, like many arts organizations, is facing severe budget challenges. Its ability to continue to provide its one-of-a-kind opportunities is threatened.
I urge you to chip in $20.20 today in support of Michigan Youth Arts, in celebration of the hundreds of students who should have been participating in this weekend’s Michigan Youth Arts Festival.