On a Mission

If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them.” — Luciano Pavarotti

When you hear the hum of 3,700 grade school children clutching recorders and barely able to contain their excitement as a live Link Up concert is about to commence, it’s clear, after 15 years, educational outreach remains at the forefront of Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s mission. Some of the many ongoing initiatives Sinfonia uses music to reach and connect with young people each year:

Sinfonietta Strings

Sinfonia Youth Orchestra

Entertain. Educate. Inspire. These three simple words are a mandate for Northwest Florida’s only fully professional orchestra and its music and artistic director, maestro Demetrius Fuller. And that includes young music makers.

Thanks to the generous support of its community partners, by the end of the 2022-2023 season, Sinfonia will have served more than 180,000 children in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Link Up program in conjunction with Carnegie Hall

Musicians in Schools

Guest Artists in Schools

Live orchestra performances for students

Arts in Medicine

Paint the Music in partnership with 3rd-8th graders in Okaloosa & Walton Counties

Go to SinfoniaGulfCoast.org/education to learn more about how you can support Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s music education outreach programs.

By Zandra Wolfgram

Looking for fun? You have arrived. As a member of the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF), you are already aboard the “bus to fun town.”

Take it from the MKAF’s CEO of Fun, Demetrius Fuller.

“We really want to up our fun factor in all we do … including raising awareness and funding. Our new tagline is Membership Keeps Arts FUNded”

— Demetrius Fuller, Chief Executive Offi cer & Artistic Offi cer

To realize our vision to “enhance and inspire every life through arts and culture,” it takes community support. As Fuller explains, individual giving has always been the rock bed of MKAF.

“The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation was initially started from the Arts Guild Lunch attended by local art lovers and evolved into the huge support system of volunteers, patrons and sponsors we have today. Membership is the backbone of MKAF and a direct tie to the community. Taking part as an individual member helps to support the arts education and outreach that Mattie Kelly is known for,” Fuller says.

Melanie Moore is the director of education and couldn’t agree more. This year, she has 108 custom ArtsReach programs already underway. From teaching artists, residencies, workshops touring performances and summer camps, each offering is designed to uniquely benefi t a range of diverse populations from the needs of K-12 students, children and adults with special needs to veteran and active-duty military service members.

“We’re connecting with and providing creative opportunities for populations that lack access to art,” Moore explains.

“We tailor our programs to those who uniquely benefi t from different ways of learning innovative and unique programming. We want to share the arts and a love of the arts with everyone we can and with the best programming we possibly can.”

And this is where you come in.

MKAF cannot deliver quality arts programming without your help. So please join us.

“Membership is affordable and the benefi ts are fun,” assures Fuller. “Where else can you spend $150 and get access to 10 concerts, 4 NEW Fall Flix, a discount on Festival of the Arts merchandise, plus discounts on MKAF wine dinner events? You just can’t.”

This year, there are several new MKAF membership levels from just $75.

Art Nouveau (40 years old and under) Single $75 – A new category for those 40 years of age and under. Member benefi ts include admission to all of the Spring and Fall Concerts in the Village and preferred pricing to all MKAF events.

Pop Art – Single $150 or Couple $250 – Member benefi ts include admission to all of the spring and fall Concerts in the Village and preferred pricing to all MKAF events. This category is available as a single or reduced fee for couple who reside in the same residence.

Renaissance Single $275 – Includes all member benefi ts of the Pop Art category plus a VIP Table seat at all of the Concerts in the Village, table is assigned upon arrival. (This is a limited membership category and will be fi lled on a fi rst come, fi rst served basis.)

Impresario Single $500 – Includes all member benefi ts of the Pop Art category plus a preferred VIP Table seating at all of the Concerts in the Village, plus 10 general admission tickets to use at any Concerts in the Village. (This is a limited membership category and will be fi lled on a fi rst come, fi rst served basis.) Plus, pledging your support is easy to do. Simply go to the MKAF website and sign up on the home page.

Supporting MKAF means you are a champion of the arts. Since forming in 1995, MKAF has impacted 337,800 through our ArtsReach programs.

MEMBER BENEFITS

Receive one season pass to our “Concerts in the Village”.

THURSDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES 2023 Annual concert series featuring a diverse genre of music suitable for all ages and families.

Receive one season pass to our four NEW “Fall Flix”.

SEPTEMBER 10 - OCTOBER 1, 2022 Lights, Camera, Action! Join us Saturday evenings in the village for Fall Flix featuring an exciting variety of fi lms. exciting variety of fi lms.

Receive a discount on “Festival of the Arts” merchandise. “Festival of the Arts” merchandise.

OCTOBER 29 & 30, 2022 Annual arts festival featuring fi ne artists exhibiting their original art, live music, food trucks, crafted cocktails. trucks, crafted cocktails.

Receive membership rates on MKAF events throughout the year.

WINE WALKABOUT - NOVEMBER 10, 2022 10th Annual Wine Walkabout at Ruth’s Chris Steak House at Silver Shells Resort in Destin.

Know that your membership fees impact students, veterans and adults of all abilities throughout Northwest Florida.

Become a Member -

JOIN NOW! MKAF.org