ArtBlast festival celebrating 10th year

— Children and their families are invited to the 10th anniversary of ArtBlast, Hot Springs’ annual children’s arts festival, on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Hot Springs Civic Center. Hall A will offer 22,000 square feet of hands-on interactive art activities for kids ages 4 to 18.

ArtBlast was created to introduce Arkansans to the artists and creative opportunities available locally.

The festival is a collaboration of local nonprofit organizations, artists and schools. Each group presents entertaining art activities that youth and their families can enjoy.

This year’s veteran participants include the Arkansas Sculptors Guild, the Arts Cooperative Team, the Garland County Girl Scouts, the Hot Springs Jazz Society, KYE-YAC, the Mid-America Science Museum and The Poet’s Loft.

New to the festival is the National Park Community College Fitness Team, and returning after a hiatus is The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs.

As always, kids set their own pace to explore the activities.

This year’s activities include the following:

• Arkansas Sculptors Guild — “3D Foil Art”: Create sculpture using foil. Additionally, kids will help the artists add clay to a 30-inch dancing rabbit.

• Arts Cooperative Team — “Butterflies Take Wing”: Design butterflies that will be submitted to the 1.5 Million Butterfly Project in Houston, Texas.

• The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs — “Cut it! Stick it! Paint it! Collage Art”: Cut, design, glue and paint a piece of collage art.

• Garland County Girl Scouts — “Small Cost Crafts”: Get creative using lots of inexpensive recycled materials.

• Hot Springs Jazz Society — “The Rhythm of Jazz”: Decorate music-making shakers and explore the rhythm of jazz music with professional musicians.

• KYE-YAC — “A World of Giving”: Decorate a recycled piggy bank to use to save for a favorite “cause.”

• Mid-America Science Museum — “Arkansas Rocks”: Choose a cool rock to study, record and draw.

• National Park Community College Fitness Team — “Ayr Brush-ercise”: Be creative and stay fit using imaginary paint brushes to create “ayr” art.

• The Poet’s Loft — “Speak Your Mind”: Write a simple poem, step on stage, and perform it live.

Volunteers from the presenting organizations and from groups such as the Senior Ambassadors, Teen Challenge and Sisters in Service are needed.

Tickets for ArtBlast 2010 are $5 for kids ages 4 to 18. Accompanying adults will be admitted free.

Bring the entire family and dress to get messy. Contact the Arts Cooperative Team for more information about becoming a sponsor or to volunteer at (501) 625-3992, or e-mail kids@hotsprings.net.

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