First Arts Festival at Middle School a Huge Success

The hallways and classrooms of 80 Sparks Street were abuzz with creative, artistic energy this spring as the Middle School celebrated its inaugural Arts Festival. For an entire afternoon, students put away their notebooks and textbooks and channeled their inner right-brained artists and performers.  

“It was a FANTASTIC event,” said music teacher Kathi Gellar. “And a great inauguration for what we hope may become an annual event!”

The entire Middle School, faculty and all, participated in about a dozen different artistic endeavors: from caricature, zulu beading, a Glee-inspired mash-up (singing and dancing), African dancing and drumming, salsa dancing, silk screening, photography, two film classes, decorating a skateboard, and making bubble magnets.

MS faculty, US art teacher John Norton, several guest artists, and even an MS student (7th grader Shay Hayden), led the workshops. 

“It was an amazing afternoon of creativity and fun,” Gellar said. “The Festival culminated in a brief assembly where there were performances and showings of the art made during the afternoon.”

Middle School Arts Department Chair and event organizer Chris Dwyer floated through the various groups and noted how much fun both students and faculty were having during their well deserved creative break.

“It was great fun and we all enjoyed it,” Dwyer said.

Over at the Upper School, the Arts Department hosted the annual Arts Bash this year in Renaissance Hall, with the theme this year being body art. Students enjoyed Henna tattoos and many created “Hand Monster” designs. The afternoon included fantastic musical performances from The Knightingales and Voices of the Knight, the ninth grade jazz ensemble, the Thursday evening Jazz ensemble, and the cast of Bye Bye Birdie. Faculty members also drew one-stroke paintings throughout the afternoon.

Click Here to download a full gallery of the Middle School Arts Festival.