Young singers, dancers and artists alike will show off their talents tonight in the Young Artists’ Showcase at the Heritage Square Museum.
The showcase will feature local artists under the age of 20, exhibiting art across different mediums like poetry, fashion and photography.
The eight-member Phoenix Youth Arts and Culture Council, which consists of high school students from around the Phoenix metro area, has been planning the event since January.
“One of the main goals is to allow young artists in Phoenix, especially those who haven’t had the choice to conform or have their art featured in a public setting, to get their stuff out there and to network with other artists in the area so that they can build,” said Zoya Page, a youth arts council member.
The showcase will feature 30 artists, both visual and performing, who will all be sharing their work during the three-hour event.
According to the council, the idea for the showcase stemmed from frustration after attending an education conference that lacked the voice of young artists. They decided to create an event that would provide artistic insight from the youth perspective.
“If we have the resources to give an opportunity to young people to do something that maybe they wouldn’t ever have been able to do, then we should,” Page said.
For many of these young artists, this will be the first time they reveal their work publicly.
Thameenah Muhammad, a college student and local sketch artist, will be exhibiting two of her pieces at the showcase. She said her art is a reflection of social issues she finds important.
“I try not to shy away from anything—police brutality, body image, school shootings, environmental issues—I try to touch a little bit of everything,” she said.
For Mariana Torrez, her ink art expresses her love of animals.
“I’ve always been surrounded by animals my entire life,” she said. “If I can’t work with animals, I can capture their beauty through a pen.”
The Phoenix Youth Arts and Culture Council is a subcategory of the Office of Arts and Culture for the City of Phoenix, who will be funding the event. Council members said a part of the council’s mission is to encourage youth activism and advocacy.
“We’ll attend budget hearings and advocate for arts funding specifically,” said Council Member Helena Haber. “I’ve seen a lot of groups led by an adult and there’s that power dynamic that is almost not talked about a lot, but it’s sometimes uncomfortable for young people. They’re not sure if they can speak up or suggest an idea almost.”
The council said they are focused on creating spaces that are oriented for the younger generation. They want to empower pre-teens and teenagers to be more vocal about social issues and to use art as a form of communicating.
“It’s mainly to do the same thing that the council does for us, which is to allow for different opportunities regarding arts, accessibility, promotion, and resources to people that aren’t necessarily exposed to those kinds of things,” said Council Member Mira Kaibara.
The showcase is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.
Contact the reporter at atpulu@asu.edu.
