By Brett Callwood
Editor’s note: Due to the bad weather forecasted for this weekend, this event has been rescheduled for April 22. It was originally going to take place on Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25.
Students from Peary Middle School will participate in the 44th Annual Very Special Arts Festival, a free two-day celebration held at the Jerry Moss Plaza, at the Music Center.
The festival includes arts workshops, dance performances and more. The Music Center’s 44th Annual Very Special Arts Festival will be dedicated to school groups on the Friday, “providing students with the opportunity to perform in front of an audience, showcase their visual artwork in a virtual gallery and enjoy artmaking, among other activities.”
Meanwhile, on Saturday the festival will be open to the public, “promising entertainment and hands-on artistic experiences for community members of all ages and abilities. The festival’s theme, Create Community, sets the tone for both days to encourage participation in the arts and connection with one another.”
“The Music Center’s 44th Annual Very Special Arts Festival is a beautiful example of how the arts can help Angelenos of all abilities and ages to feel supported and be inspired, as L.A. continues to surge past the pandemic and start anew in 2023,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “I invite all Angelenos to join us and witness the incredible creativity of these amazing young people! You will feel immense joy in experiencing this beloved event right here in Los Angeles.”
The event will be hosted by opera singer Suzanna Guzmán and actor David Prather, and the variety of activities planned for this year’s festival include, “a hip-hop dance class led by Free 2 B Me Dance (Saturday), a music workshop conducted by The Miracle Project (Friday and Saturday), a dance activity for older adults spearheaded by Little Tokyo Service Center (Saturday) and more. The festival will include an ASL interpreter on both days and will be transcribed for people with visual impairment.”
“The Music Center’s 44th Annual Very Special Arts Festival is one of the few festivals of its kind in the county that encourages the artistic achievements of people of all abilities,” said Keith Wyffels, associate vice president of education, TMC Arts. “In 2022, we lengthened the festival to two days to invite the entire L.A. community because creativity thrives when everyone is given the chance to express themselves through the arts. The festival’s expansion made a lasting impact on everyone who participated so we are thrilled to invite all Angelenos again to the Community Day this year.”
The event is just for the schools, including Peary Middle School, on Friday. On Saturday, April. 22, it takes place from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Jerry Moss Plaza, the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Go to musiccenter.org/communityday for more information.
