For The Arts celebrated two days of youth performances in choral, orchestra and jazz bands, dance and drama, interactive mural projects, teen celebrities who visited and performed, face painting and more at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29. The event is the organization’s biggest annual fundraiser. Proceeds from the festival benefit For The Arts, an endowment campaign of the Education Foundation of Santa Monica-Malibu to promote and fund, in perpetuity, arts education in all SMMUSD public schools.
Talent Coordinator Sarah Sterling is one of the key players in organizing the event. The teen told the Mirror, “I love asking young actors that love the arts to come out to the Pier to show their support for arts in our schools. People sometimes think kids can’t make a difference – but they do! These actors care about the arts and they want to help us raise money. They know what a difference arts make in their lives. And I know other kids like to come out and meet these young celebrity actors, so it’s good for everyone.”