Realize Bradenton Presents: ArtSlam 2016
Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 5th from 9a.m. – 4p.m. for the most creative-muse-inspiring event of the year as Downtown Bradenton transforms into an innovation zone.
This free event developed by Realize Bradenton brings students, art educators, families and art enthusiasts of all ages together on Old Main Street to engage in all things art.
In tandem with the weekly Farmers’ Market, ArtSlam is in its fifth year. Realize Bradenton’s Executive Director Johnette Isham says that creative teams from Manatee County Public Schools will participate at this year’s ArtSlam, along with Inspiration Academy and Manatee School for the Arts.
“The projects and performances put on by these teams encourage innovation, creativity, leadership, and teamwork. They will showcase all areas of the arts—visual, musical, theatrical, and dance.”
Realize Bradenton has been collaborating with public school teachers throughout the summer. According to Isham, the festival’s focus this year is on arts educators and their students.
“Our collaboration with Manatee County Public Schools is stronger than ever,” she says. “Arts education doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We recognize the vital importance of community-school partnerships. This experience takes students and educators out of the classroom and puts them in a situation where they engage and inspire the public.”
The festival features a menagerie of creative projects, exhibits and performances. Following are just a sampling of activities to enjoy:
“Recycled Fashion” with Manatee County Public Library Youth Services. Create a fashionable outfit using recycled book pages and make recycled jewelry.
“Be a Fan of Art Education” with Manatee Art Education Association. Express yourself creatively by crafting your own decorative fan.
“Chalk Art for Kids” with Manatee Young Professionals. Kids are invited to create their own chalk masterpieces.
“Machines Making Masterpieces” with Manatee School for the Arts (MSA). Attendees can create their own masterpieces on special art-making machines. A large art-making machine powered by MSA students will create art while students perform Improvisational dances inspired by the machines.
“Paint Your Own Bird House” with Keller Williams Realty of Manatee. Design a colorful keepsake bird house for your backyard.
“Body Painting” with Southeast High School. Three full body master paintings will be created and free face and arm painting for children.
“Community Mural” with Bayshore High School. Large outlined canvases are ready to be completed by the public with images inspired by Manatee County.
“Woven Together” with Wakeland Elementary School of International Studies. This collaborative community quilt demonstrates the diversity of our community. Create a fabric bracelet to take home reminding you of how our differences, combined, has a beautiful result.
“Comedy, Magic and More” with George Gilbert. A comedy magic show features mind-boggling tricks, audience interaction and hilarious improvisation.
“Mars is Watching” with Matt McAllister Art. Watch chalk artist Matt McAllister create a colorful mars attack alien close up. Original art by Jason Edmiston.
“The Nerdy Noah Show” with Nerdy Noah. Featuring balloon twisting and stilt walking.
“Realizing Rhythm” with Haile Middle School. Haile art students and the Haile Jazz Band create a visual representation of rhythm and its use in creating artwork.
“Crafty Musicians” with The Music Compound. Create your own unique and personal musical instrument.
“Paint Your Own Bird House” with Keller Williams Realty of Manatee. Design a colorful keepsake bird house for your backyard.
“Communi-tree” with Artist Brandon Scott. Contribute to the “communi-tree” by painting a leaf and attaching it to the tree. Once full of leaves, the tree will represent Bradenton’s cultural heritage. Brandon Scott will also paint a unique piece on a Bradenton Herald newspaper.
“Interactive Environmental Art” with Lakewood Ranch High School. Hands-on environmental art projects are led by LRHS students.
“Interactive Dance Lessons and Performances” with Sarasota Contemporary Dance (SCD).
SCD (formerly Fuzion) gets the community moving together with their engaging dance and drumming segment, mini classes, and the art-interactive “Paint Me” dance, an ArtSlam favorite.
“Freestyle Lollipops” with Sugar Cubed. Sugar Artists create signature lollipops, made to order, in a variety of flavors and colors.
“CAN JAM at ArtSlam” with Keeton’s Office & Art Supply. Live aerosol paintings on a giant canvas cube give viewers an inside look at the process of graffiti art.
“Pop Art Face Painting” with Palmetto High School. Be a superhero for the day. Choose from three superhero themed face paint designs and get your picture taken in front of an artistic comic backdrop.
“Slow Motion Photo Booth” with Inspiration Academy. Learn about the art of filmmaking and be a part of the ArtSlam montage created by the Student Film Academy.
* Realize Bradenton is also encouraging real-time interaction on social media! Jeremy Piper, communication manager for Realize Bradenton explains,
* “We want to connect with youth on a platform they are familiar with, and encourage them to share the ArtSlam experience with their circle of friends.”
* To participate, share a photo using the hashtag #ARTslam16 on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. “We’ll compile an online photo album based on images from users,” says Piper.
* With support from the Bradenton Downtown Development Authority, the Manatee Education Foundation, Keller Williams Realty of Manatee, and the Bradenton Herald, Art Slam 2016 is produced by Realize Bradenton, a non-profit organization that brings people together to create a vibrant and prosperous Bradenton area.
For more information, visit: www.realizebradenton.com
Photos courtesy of Realize Bradenton.