Marietta City Schools wants to invite you to a showcase of the artistic and musical talent of our K-12 students in the district. The 24th annual Fine Arts Festival will be held on April 24, 2024 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Marietta High School's Sutton Gymnasium.
This one night event is completely free to the public and a culmination of the hard work of Tigers of all ages throughout this school year. Among the exhibitions there will be painted, drawn, knit, woodcraft, carving, pottery, sculpture, resin and digital entries from all four of the district schools.
Megan Lankford, Art Teacher at Marietta Elementary School, discussed how she believes representation of multiple mediums is important and how her students will be approaching this year’s event. “It’s important to showcase all aspects of art and creativity, not just drawing and painting. We work hard all year to cover basic art elements, the principles of design, art history, various artists, and different cultures. This is our time to shine and show the importance of the arts when they are often overlooked."
Prudence Burgardt, Art Teacher for Phillips and Washington Elementary, talked about how first and second grades have been learning from masters such as Wassily Kandinsky and Henri Matisse and used these lessons and their own imaginations for their own vibrant masterpieces.
"While celebrating Black History, we paid tribute to the rich artistic heritage of Gee's Bend, Alabama, by creating collaborative paper quilts. Just like the women of Gee's Bend, our students used vibrant colors and patterns to tell their stories. We've been inspired by paper sculptures by artists like Charles McGee and Eric Carle, and our young artists have brought their own characters and creatures to life in 3D paper sculptures."
Burgardt discussed that different cultures has played a massive role in much of the artwork they have created and learned about this year. "Our students have been studying the vibrant tradition of Mexican tin art, and you'll see their own imaginative sculptures bursting with colorful details. This exhibition is a celebration of our young artists' creativity and their exploration of different styles and techniques."
The Fine Arts Festival will feature a wide range of musical acts, both vocal and instrumental this year. J.D. Benson, Marietta Elementary School Music Specialist, discussed the creation of the MES Festival Choir. “This is our first year with this group and it is a select group of 5th and 6th graders who wanted a chance to do some harder music than they typically do in their normal choir class. These select students meet after school and have worked very hard to prepare for the Fine Arts Festival."
The MES Festival Choir will be performing starting at 5:30 in the Auditorium at MHS. In addition to these students, Marietta High School vocalists who received a superior rating during the solo and ensemble contests will also be present and performing on the auditorium stage.
While no Washington or Phillips musicians will be performing this year, Marietta Elementary, Marietta High School, and the performance group known as "High Schools That Rock" will be will all be showcasing their musical talents. Featuring both large and small ensembles, nearly 125 musicians will be performing on stage and in Sutton Gymnasium from 5:30-8:30pm.
For MES Director of Bands, Steve Brown, this festival is one of the most important events of the year. "The Fine Arts Festival is historically one of the biggest events that Marietta City Schools puts on because it showcases hundreds of students in all grades. From our youngest artists to our seniors...from our beginner musicians to our most accomplished, there is truly something for everyone at this amazing event!".
This event has even become a bridge between artists currently enrolled in the district and alumni artists from years past. Victoria Humphrey, a previous participant and current Music Education Intern, discussed how important this event is for students as an outlet from their day to day studies. "It gives students from all buildings the opportunity to share their artistic expression, whether it be musical or visual art forms. I always enjoyed the opportunity to present music that I wasn't necessarily performing in my class."
There is no better way to support the fine arts than to nourish and encourage young musicians and artists and their work. We hope that you will join us during this event and celebrate these Tigers for their creativity and passion for the arts!