We’re quickly heading into graduation season, and for four seniors at Animas High School, they’ve got one more big project to complete before putting on their caps and gowns.
It’s not a 20-page paper or massive exam – Sophie May, Avery Colclough, Anya McMillen and Penny Mark have instead been working the past six months to host the Under One Moon Arts Festival, a weekend-long celebration of the arts at Tico Time in Aztec that will feature live music, dance, plenty of visual art and guided workshops. There will also be art booths, food trucks and vendors.
If you go
WHAT: Under One Moon Arts Festival
WHEN: April 25 and 26
WHERE: Tico Time River Resort, 20 Road 2050, Aztec
TICKETS: $40 general admission two-day pass; $25 general admission single-day; children 7 and younger free. Available at https://tinyurl.com/yc6xzjfj
MORE INFORMATION: Visit https://www.underonemoonfestival.com
With the event theme of “building bridges between ages, art forms and communities,” the four are doing more than merely throwing a fun party – there’s a bigger goal: Supporting organizations that encourage the arts, especially among young people. In fact, the girls set up a nonprofit organization – Peaks and Valleys Arts Partnership – as part of their plan.
McMillen said 100% of the weekend’s proceeds will be divided between Durango Friends of the Arts, “the local all-volunteer organization raising funds for projects and programs whose goals provide educational and cultural benefits to the people of the greater Durango area,” and Genesis Inspiration Foundation, an organization founded in 2018 that works to connect young people to “the transformative power of the arts,” according to the festival’s website.
“Our goal is to connect the community and raise money for children in the arts, as well as further connect artists and community members in our town. In doing so, we hope to bridge the gaps between ages, art forms and different communities of artists,” the students’ mission statement says. “Our overall mission is to raise money for youth access to the arts through the shared love of a variety of art forms, including music, dance and visual arts. ... We will connect student artists with local and regional performing artists, along with connecting organizations and art forms in our community. This celebration will not only bring Durango citizens together but will also provide a platform to help under-resourced youth access the arts both locally and throughout the nation.”
As well as a comprehensive website, the four were also tasked with planning the entire festival – they set up their nonprofit and business bank account, secured Tico Time, began fundraising, figured out the entertainment, worked with other AHS students who will bring their art to the festival and myriad other details that go into planning an event of this scope.
Musical acts will feature performers from Stillwater Music and iAM MUSIC, among others. Dance acts will be performed by members of Prickly Pear Dance, a studio McMillen attends.
And while putting together the Under One Moon Arts Festival has been a challenge, the four said all the effort has been worth it, both personally and for the greater community.
“In the end, the most satisfying part is seeing what we can do,” Mark said.
“It’s something bigger than school,” McMillen added.
katie@durangoherald.com
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