Pictured: The Youth Art Show features scratchboard portraits and more by budding local artists. Photo courtesy of Creative Kids of SRQ.

The youngest artists in Sarasota make their gallery debut this Saturday with the Youth Art Show at Palm Avenue Fine Art. Organized by Creative Kids of SRQ, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging youth engagement with the arts, this one-weekend exhibition celebrates local artists as young as five years old, giving them and their art the professional gallery experience, while driving support for the local arts education programs that inspired them. It’s the opening salvo in a larger mission, according to Tom Murray, a board member with Creative Kids, to make the self-proclaimed Cultural Capital of Florida live up to its name by supporting artists of the next generation.

“It’s all about creating opportunities for children and art to get together,” Murray says. “If folks come to the show and see these kids, they’ll see the pride, the self-esteem, and the satisfaction that radiates from their smiles, and they’ll know exactly where we’re going with Creative Kids of SRQ.”

The show begins at 11am this Saturday with an artist reception in the gallery, where many of the artists are expected in attendance. The exhibition will feature near 100 pieces of art, ranging from watercolor and scratchboard to ceramics and even stained glass, and will unite young artists from arts education organizations in the area, such as Children’s Art Classes of Lakewood Ranch and Lina Rincon Art Gallery & Studio.

Work will be for sale according to the artist’s discretion, Murray says, with prices ranging up to $100 and all proceeds going towards the artist. “It’s all about supporting the kids,” he says. “And that’ll probably be the best $100 anybody ever spends turning a kid onto something so pure and great.”

A single exhibition is just the tip of the iceberg, however, according to Murray, and prelude to even bigger plans for next year—if Creative Kids of SRQ can get the community support it needs. Already lining up one major sponsor, the nonprofit is looking to organize even more events next year, including a youth art festival that could feature as many as 1,000 local artists and expand involvement into the public school system. Those looking to learn more or get involved with Creative Kids of SRQ are invited to attend an open event after the Youth Art Show, from 5pm to 7pm, to learn more about the initiative and meet with community partners.

“These youth are the future of fine arts,” Murray says, “if we give them the opportunity.”

The Youth Art Show opens this Saturday at Palm Avenue Fine Art, with an opening reception from 11am to 5pm, followed by a presentation by Creative Kids of SRQ.

Palm Avenue Fine Art, 10 S. Palm Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236.

Pictured: The Youth Art Show features scratchboard portraits and more by budding local artists. Photo courtesy of Creative Kids of SRQ.