STARTING ARTS HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL BAY AREA YOUTH TALENT SEARCH, BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG DREAMSTM
Goal Set to Raise $96 Thousand for Arts Education Programs in
Bay Area Schools
$8 Thousand in Prize Money Awarded to Winners
SANTA CLARA, CA—November 19, 2012— Today, Starting Arts (www.startingarts.com) raises the curtain on BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG DREAMS TM, its first annual Bay Area youth talent search.
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG DREAMS TM is a youth talent contest for local individuals and groups ages 8 to18 years old, supported by a nonprofit committed to providing quality arts programs for children in grades K through 12.
The contest, designed to celebrate the wide variety of arts programs offered by Starting Arts, welcomes a vast range of performance categories such as vocal, dance, instrumental, comedy, dramatic skits, monologues, and more. To enter, contestants can either submit a video performance or register to participate in one of two local auditions. For registration, submission and guidelines, visit www.startingarts.com/blbd.
Live auditions will take place January 5, 2013 in San Mateo and on January 26 in Santa Clara at Starting Arts Studios (SA Studios), located at 3340 Montgomery Dr.
The top 20 acts from the video submissions and auditions will be selected from an expert panel staring February 1. Those 20 finalists will perform in front of a panel of industry professionals and a live audience on February 16, 2013 at the Santa Clara Convention Center Theater for the chance to win cash prizes totaling $8 thousand dollars.
Cash prizes for individuals and groups in each of the two age categories (8 to 12 years and 13 to 18 years) are as follows: $2 thousand for first place; $1 thousand for second place; $750 for third place; $500 for Overall Fan Favorite (one individual or group from either age category).
“The arts are an integral part of the educational model,” said Ann Watts, Starting Arts Executive Director. “BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG DREAMS is a shining example of Starting Arts’ commitment to providing arts education and performing opportunities for talented youth.”
The goal of this contest is to recognize and support young talent in the Bay Area as well as raise $96 thousand to support arts education programs in local schools. The fundraising goal refers to a song from the Tony award-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS, titled “96,000”. The Starting Arts Dream Team will be performing this song in their production of IN THE HEIGHTS, which opens January 17, 2013 at the Santa Clara High School, Performing Arts Center. For tickets and information, visit www.startingarts.com/blbd.
In an effort to reach this goal, Starting Arts is accepting corporate sponsorships and individual donations. Event sponsors include GoogleTM, Mix 106.5 FM, Wild 94.9 and Agilent Technologies Inc. Entry fees, ticket sales and in-kind donations from local businesses will be used to help offset promotion and event costs.
This month, movie goers can see BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG DREAMS TM advertised on the big screen at AMC Theatres throughout Santa Clara, San Jose, Cupertino, and Redwood City.
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About Starting Arts (www.startingarts.com)
Starting Arts is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is the promotion and preservation of quality arts education in Bay Area schools. Since 2000, Starting Arts partners with school communities and districts to provide both during and after school programs in visual and performing arts for children in grades K through 12. Starting Arts actively promotes all four arts disciplines: Dance, Theatre, Music, Visual Arts, and now Film. Starting Arts receives and solicits operating funds from individuals, corporations, foundations and government agencies. Contributors not only help educate the next generation of artists and audiences – they help teach creative thinking skills to the future innovators and leaders of our world.