25 Years of the
Children’s Arts Festival!

2025 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Children’s Arts Festival so we are going big! A weekend-long celebration will take place on Friday, February 7th & Saturday, February 8th, 2025 in honor of the amazing young artists and art educators in the Southeast Missouri region.

We have exciting new sponsorship models! Whether you would like to be a yearlong Sustaining Donor or an Individual Event Donor, we have an option for you. click the buttons below for more information, including the form to sign up.

 

Would you like to collaborate with a business for the 25th Anniversary of the Children’s Arts Festival? We are looking for artists to paint windows with 60s psychedelic flair. More details to come, so please fill out the form if you would like more info!

 
 

Fine Arts Education Day will take place in Jefferson City, Missouri on Wednesday,April 9th, 2025. Save the date and check back for more information!

 

The opening reception for the Children’s Arts Festival was a great success!

We had over 800 attendees on Friday, February 2nd for First Friday with the Arts. Students were able to see their artwork on a gallery wall, meet their favorite super hero, get their face painted, watch music and dance performances by their peers, and more!

If you weren’t able to attend the opening reception, the exhibition will be on display until Saturday, February 24th. Our gallery is open Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM located at 16 B N Spanish St in Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.

Live out of town? Scroll through the photos below or click the banner to download the official booklet!

 

Contemplation
Adelyn Zimmer

Grade 5, Van Buren Elementary
Art Teacher: Brianna Gourley

Contemplation will be presented to Senator Jason Bean of District 25 at Fine Arts Education Day in Jefferson City. Brianna’s artwork will stay in Senator Bean’s office until 2025.

Umbrella of the Forest
Hannah Segraves

Grade 4, Alma Schrader Elementary
Art Teacher: Lisa Kuper

Umbrella of the Forest will be presented to Senator Holly Rehder of District 27 at Fine Arts Education Day in Jefferson City. Hannah’s artwork will stay in Senator Rehder’s office until 2025.

 

Artwork Staying with State Representatives

Once each year, Missouri's fine arts teachers, students and families unite in Jefferson City, Missouri at the Capitol building for an exciting celebration of arts education in Missouri - sponsored by MAAE.  Fine Arts Education Day welcomes student performers from across the state to help highlight the arts. Visual arts displays line the hallways of the third floor of the capitol, and student performances ring out in the First Floor Capitol Rotunda, the Carnahan Governor's Garden east of the Capitol building, and sometimes include the exterior steps of the capitol building and/or out onto the capitol lawn! 

The Arts Council staff will head to Fine Arts Education Day on Wednesday, April 3rd with over 30 pieces of artwork from the Children’s Arts Festival! We are honored to present this work to State Representatives and Senators, showcasing the amazing student artists and their teachers. We welcome students and their families to attend this wonderful event!

Grade Level Winners

 

Sponsor Selections

 

Please help us thank the art educators that brought the 24th Annual Children’s Arts Festival to life!

ALMA SCHRADER ELEMENTARY- Lisa Kuper, BISMARCK ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR, & SENIOR HIGH- Maribel Ramirez-Bohnenkamp, BLANCHARD ELEMENTARY- Calleigh Ainsworth, CAPE CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH- Matt Miller, EAGLE RIDGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL- Vickie Bollinger, FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY- Rebecca Ramdial, HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS- Brenda Seyer, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY- Jenny Bittner, KENNETT SOUTH ELEMENTARY- Melinda Mowrer, MEADOW HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL- Baylee Bullock, NELL HOLCOMB- Megan Brock, PERRY COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL- Amber Dunn, PUXICO JUNIOR HIGH- Peggy Parsley, RUSSELL HAWKINS JUNIOR HIGH- Meg Daniels, SCOTT CITY R-1- Elizabeth Thomas, SIKESTON 5th & 6th GRADE CENTER- Erin Hardin, ST. MARY CATHEDRAL SCHOOL- Vicki Raines, WING ELEMENTARY & LEE HUNTER ELEMENTARY- Rene Nice, VAN BUREN ELEMENTARY- Brianna Gourley

ALMA SCHRADER ELEMENTARY- Lisa Kuper, BISMARCK ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR, & SENIOR HIGH- Maribel Ramirez-Bohnenkamp, BLANCHARD ELEMENTARY- Calleigh Ainsworth, CAPE CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH- Matt Miller, EAGLE RIDGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL- Vickie Bollinger, FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY- Rebecca Ramdial, HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS- Brenda Seyer, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY- Jenny Bittner, KENNETT SOUTH ELEMENTARY- Melinda Mowrer, MEADOW HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL- Baylee Bullock, NELL HOLCOMB- Megan Brock, PERRY COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL- Amber Dunn, PUXICO JUNIOR HIGH- Peggy Parsley, RUSSELL HAWKINS JUNIOR HIGH- Meg Daniels, SCOTT CITY R-1- Elizabeth Thomas, SIKESTON 5th & 6th GRADE CENTER- Erin Hardin, ST. MARY CATHEDRAL SCHOOL- Vicki Raines, WING ELEMENTARY & LEE HUNTER ELEMENTARY- Rene Nice, VAN BUREN ELEMENTARY- Brianna Gourley

 

A Special “Thank You” to…

Artistically Ever After, Chayli & Friends Face Painting, Next Level Cosplay LLC, Pepsi MidAmerica, Dr. Carol McDowell and Saundra Flanagan, Read to Succeed