Young Audiences of Houston to Celebrate 60 Years with 'IN THE MIX' Gala This April

Young Audiences of Houston, one of Houston's first and longest-lasting arts organizations dedicated to education, celebrates 60 years of bringing the arts to Houston's children.

On April 14, 2016, the "In the Mix Since 1956" Gala showcases the organization's long history and its evolution over six decades, while ensuring a healthy future for the arts and arts education in Houston. The gala event includes a seated dinner, live entertainment, silent auction, and an opportunity to mingle 1950's style at the Junior League of Houston. More information about the gala can be found at www.yahouston.org.

Young Audiences of Houston was founded by violinist Fredell Lackin 1956 and received non-profit status in 1960 with support from Ms. Ima Hogg and Mrs. William P. Hobby. "From the time we brought a professional string quartet to elementary audiences in the 1950s, Young Audiences of Houston has impacted the lives of several generations of Houston children," said Wells McGee, the event's chair and a Young Audiences of Houston board member. "Of course, our schools and our understanding of education have changed drastically in the last 60 years, and YAH has consistently been a leader among Houston's arts organizations in creating partnerships with schools, being responsive to schools' and students' needs, and lowering barriers for all children to become arts creators." Serving over 208,000 children annually, Young Audiences of Houston has the largest impact of any arts education organization in the Greater Houston area.

As part of the festivities, Young Audiences of Houston will recognize an individual and a school campus who have shown particular devotion to the arts. The evening's honoree will be Katherine Veletsos, a longtime Houston educator and arts advocate. Trealla Epps, principal of Houston ISD's Roberts Elementary, will accept the Arts Empowerment Award in recognition of the campus's dedication to arts education.

The mission of Young Audiences of Houston is to educate and inspire children through the arts, to make the arts an integral part of the school curriculum, and to advance the field of arts in education through teacher professional development training and community partnerships.

Supporting the educational trends from the 1990s to the present, Young Audiences of Houston expanded into presenting workshops and residencies that use the arts to support core-curriculum skills and allow individual artists to work more effectively with small groups through "hands-on" projects, as well as professional development training for educators, which equips teachers with the tools needed to integrate the arts into the classroom.

Proceeds from the event benefit Young Audiences of Houston's 2,942 annual arts education programs across 51 school districts in the Greater Houston area.

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