Published: July 02, 2009 12:15 pm      

Youth art projects sought for festival

DANVILLE — The 2009 Festival of Trees once again will feature holiday trees, wreaths, activities, entertainment and goodies. But organizers also have been working on some new, exciting additions for this coming November’s event.

One new area of the festival will be the I Sing the Body Electric Festival Showcase. Vermilion County high school students are invited to demonstrate their artistic abilities by creating a visual art project depicting their own interpretation of the 2009 Festival of Trees theme “Rejoice!” (The interpretation does not need to be holiday or religious-based.) Projects may be any type of artwork: sculpture, glass, drawing, painting, pottery, ceramic, photography, etc. — anything that can be photographed for reproduction.

Students in grades 9-12 during the 2009-10 school year in any school in Vermilion County are eligible to participate. Students do not have to be previous I Sing the Body Electric participants. I Sing the Body Electric will assist in the purchase of approved art supplies for the projects.

The art projects will be on display at the David S. Palmer Arena during the Festival of Trees Gala on the evening of Nov. 13 and during the festival from Nov. 14-18. All art projects will be judged similarly to the trees, wreaths, and centerpieces.

“This is a wonderful way for our area students to get involved in a fantastic community event,” said Dottie McLaughlin, I Sing the Body Electric program coordinator, “and it’s an exciting venue in which to highlight the artistic talents of these students.”

Students interested in participating should contact McLaughlin at 442-6594 or visit the Web site www.provena.org/usmc/showcase for more details and to receive an application form.

A community outreach program of the Provena United Samaritans Medical Center Foundation, I Sing the Body Electric assists youth in Vermilion County in investigating and communicating healthy lifestyle choices to each other and to the community through the arts.

The Festival of Trees 2009 will be presented by Provena United Samaritans Medical Center Foundation at the David S. Palmer Arena. Proceeds from the festival fund community outreach programs that give back to the community. Learn more about the Festival of Trees at www.provena.org/usmc/trees.