Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, at which over 300 participants from over 40 Detroit youth organizations participated, the 2015 festival is expanding to feature:
- Performances in music, dance and theater on three big outdoor stages in and around the Carr Center and Paradise Valley Park
- Smaller venues featuring spoken word poetry
- An expanded visual arts exhibit area and Young Artists’ Market
- More hands-on art activities
- And new this year, a video and film festival
Once again, festival sponsor Starr Commonwealth will partner with Samaritan Homes Inc., a Detroit-based social services agency and Edibles Rex Catering, to provide free, healthy lunches on a first come basis for young people up to age 18.
Another 2015 highlight is the presentation of the annual Starr Art of Resilience Award, created to recognize those who have given generously of their time and talents to inspire and mentor Detroit’s young artists. This year’s honoree is the internationally acclaimed Detroit artist Tyree Guyton who will accept the award at the July 25 event. The 2014 award recognized Detroit jazz legend Marcus Belgrave, who pasted away last month.
“The Starr Summer Youth Festival showcases the tremendous talents, resilience and strengths of young people in Detroit,” says John Hollingsworth, festival director and director of communications for Starr Commonwealth, a social services agency that promotes positive youth development and has been serving Detroit children and families for more than 100 years. The festival is part of Starr’s Art of Resilience Project, a long-term initiative designed to promote, support and celebrate the resilience of Detroit’s young people and their communities.
“The Art of Resilience is at the core of Starr’s youth development programs, but it is also a central part of Detroit’s identity,” adds Hollingsworth. “The city and its neighborhoods have shown great resilience over the years, and this tenacity continues to help the city to overcome its challenges.”
“By focusing on the positive, the talents and strengths of our young people, we give them a great chance of realizing their potential.”
The Second Annual Starr Summer Youth Festival is sponsored by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Quicken Loans, PNC Bank, St. John Providence Health System, Comerica Bank, the Ford Fund, Cornerstone Schools, StarrVista, the Horizons Project and Zipcar.
For information on the July 25 Second Annual Starr Summer Youth Festival, visit www.artofresilience.org.