For the past year, the St. Louis Mid-Sized Arts Cooperative has been planning the first-ever Carnivale d'Art to expose the community to 12 hours of theater, music, dance and art, and raise funds to ensure the future of its member organizations.

"We conceived this event to expose the community to the arts," said Diana Lia Barrios, president of the Mid-Sized Arts Cooperative. "But Hurricane Katrina suddenly expanded our community and shifted our priorities. We want to give the children and adults caught in this crisis a opportunity to laugh, dance, sing and express themselves in the way we know best - through the arts."

"In addition to donating all net proceeds to hurricane relief efforts, the Mid-Sized Arts Cooperative will offer at least 1,000 free tickets to hurricane evacuees, a warm gesture to welcome them into the St. Louis community," said Barrios. Hurricane Katrina evacuees are encouraged to request free tickets by calling (314) 535-1135 or e-mailing info@midsizedarts.org.

Carnivale d'Art will showcase theater, music and dance performances, art exhibits and hands-on interactive demonstrations and workshops by more than 15 local arts organizations. The event will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2005, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

"I asked to become part of this event because it’s the first I’ve heard about that is focused on actually giving joy to the people who are victims of Hurricane Katrina," said popular St. Louis jazz vocalist Denise Thimes.

Tickets for the entire 12-hour event are $11 for adults, $7 for students and seniors, and $5 for children 10 and under. Additional donations to the relief efforts are encouraged. Groups receive a $2 discount per ticket on purchases of 20 or more. Tickets are available through the Touhill Performing Arts Center, www.touhill.org, (314) 516-4949 or toll-free (866) 516-4949 (a processing fee may apply).

For a full list of activities, performances and the event schedule, visit www.carnivaledart.org or www.midsizedarts.org, call (314) 535-1135 or e-mail info@Midsizedarts.org.

The Mid-Sized Arts Cooperative has received support for Carnivale d’Art from the Regional Arts Commission and the Whitaker Foundation.
Founded in 1997, the St. Louis Mid-Sized Arts Cooperative is a group of 19 arts organizations committed to producing a vibrant cultural environment in the St. Louis metropolitan region through the arts. The Cooperative and its members promote arts education and community-based art through performances, exhibits, classes, workshops, residencies and internships.