The internationally recognized Youth in Arts Italian Street Painting Festival showcases the performance art of street painting featuring award-winning artists. Using chalk as the medium, 500 professional and student Madonnari (street painters) turn the streets in front of historic Mission San Rafael Arcangel, into a 30,000-foot asphalt canvas during the 2-day event, June 13 & 14, 2009. The 16th annual festival will celebrate the “Faces of the Renaissance”. Saturday is designated as Family Day with additional games, activities and performances geared toward children and their parents.
This unique festival of art, music and cuisine is a San Francisco Bay Area community cultural event benefiting Youth in Arts’ in-school and community arts programs. The festival, attended by approximately 60,000 Bay Area residents, is Youth in Arts’ major fund-raiser and community outreach program.
As the Madonnari fill the pavement “canvasses” with their own unique inspirations, over 1,500 of our youngest festival visitors join in the performance. Child sized squares and pastels are available on Children’s Avenue.
Professional and student entertainers are showcased on the Main Stage, the Cafe Stage and the Mission Steps each day, all day, with the sounds of jazz, swing, rock, gospel, rhythm & blues and more. Strolling musicians and children’s performances add to the festivities.
This event is entirely free, for information about corporate sponsorship and or square sponsorship please contact 415/457-4878