Young, creative minds will be on display during the 20th ArtFest Fort Myers thanks to the Kids Tag Art (KTA) program, a collaboration between the Lee County Tax Collector and the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. ArtFest takes place Feb. 1-2 in the Downtown Fort Myers River District.
A special KTA booth inside the Publix Art Yard in Centennial Park will display the Award of Distinction winners who were selected from artwork submitted by 3,900 fifth-grade students from throughout the School District of Lee County. The artwork will be available for purchase as specialty front-end license plates for just $20. Sales of the plates directly support art programs at each of the district’s participating elementary schools.
“What better way to display the great work of our children than at one of Southwest Florida’s top arts events,” Lee County Tax Collector Larry Hart said. “These kids are amazing and by purchasing their creativity, the arts programs at each of their schools can invest a little more into their education.”
The KTA program, now in its fifth year, encouraged the fifth-grade students to create artwork based on this year’s theme “Fun in the Sun.” After the designs were submitted and judged, the top two from 52 elementary schools were recognized with an Award of Distinction.
The winning designs can be displayed on front end plates and also are available for public purchase at leetc.com.
The Tax Collector’s Office also offers sponsorships for the program, raising even more money to help elementary school teachers pay for art supplies.
Sponsorship information is available by calling the Lee County Tax Collector’s Administration Office at 239-533-6060. For program information, contact Pleshette Mims-Roberts at 239-533-6068 or Beverly Burke of The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools Inc. at 239-337-0433.