Kris Collingridge “lurves” the Festival on the ParentMap blog:
“So many styles of entertainment, so many sensibilities, so many great artists we’ve never heard of, so much diversity and color and passion — all of it crammed into one week at the Seattle Center. It’s not sanitized or cutified for kids. It assumes that children can and will rise to the occasion and honor what they’re seeing onstage. And they do.”
A world of fusion-theater hijinks at Children’s Festival Seattle Times
May 17, 2007 “We’ll say it again: If you think this is just kid stuff, you’re missing out. Here’s a chance for adults also to see what’s hot in Brazilian, French-Canadian, Italian and German theatrics, with no passport needed.”
Seattle International Children’s Festival is focused on creating an ageless appeal Seattle Post-Intelligencer
May 11, 2007
“A child really learns better and get more out of an experience when they’re sharing it with the adults in their lives. So what we try to do is program shows that the adults are going to enjoy every bit as much as the children.”
Going global: What’s new at Seattle International Children’s Festival ParentMap – Out & About May 2007
“Performers are often remarkable but little-known, and you can see them in relatively small theaters. Getting day-of tickets isn’t that big of a deal. The crowds aren’t overwhelming.”
Allen Foundation Gives More Than $1.5 Million To Local Arts Groups
Seattle Post-Intelligencer March 7, 2007
“Another major grant, for $225,000, went to the Seattle International Children’s Festival for the development of its marketing, technology and educational programs.”
Seattle International Children’s Festival lives up to global name Seattle Times
November 17, 2006
“Two new works, commissioned by the festival from Seattle artists, will be unveiled: a multimedia, musical-animation piece by Spectratone International, and a new show from the “lyrical juggler” Thomas Arthur.”
QUOTES
PRESS QUOTES
“For two decades, the Seattle International Children’s Festival has made wide-eyed children out of attendees of all ages…consistently strong SICF rosters have peppered families of festival-goers with gold arrows of intense emotional stimulus.”
–Gary Bannister, Sound Magazine
“The only reason it’s a children’s festival is because only children have the imaginative bandwidth to take it all in.”
–The Stranger
“One of the largest and most far-reaching arts festivals for young people in the country.”
–The New York Times
Not Just For Kids Anymore - “The Seattle International Children’s Festival needs a new name – it’s the “children” part that’s deceiving. Chances are, the same eclectic shows meant to entertain smaller festival-goers will also entertain the chaperones.”
–Seattle Metropolitan Magazine
World Party – “Every year, the Festival digs up mostly obscure and always fascinating performance troupes and musicians from around the globe and bring them to town for a weeklong children’s art blowout. Often, there’s so much good stuff going on that choosing just one performance (or three) seems like an impossible task.”
–Kris Collingridge, ParentMap
TEACHER AND STUDENT QUOTES
“. . .I think that the can-can dance was very cool! I wonder how they kick their legs so high? The Nigerian singers, I could talk about them for another hour. They were great! Five dollars was an excellent deal for one ticket to watch these shows! I hope that we could come next year!” –Aaron Sharma, student
“Thank you so much for sponsoring the performance of Lágbájá; it was great. I am currently a 7th grader at West Valley Middle School in Yakima, Washington. I enjoy all types of music so it as very cool to hear something completely different. It was really neat how Lágbájá used modern instruments and native African instruments, the bàtá and the àkúbà drums. Lágbájá was a great experience that will stick with me for a long time.” –Heath J. Braun, student
“I am from Africa too, Zimbabwe. I am in first grade. I liked the drumming and the spider with the big butt. The Kaleta was chasing and running the other way from Won-Ldy Paye. The show was funny!” –Muhya, student
“Thank you for allowing us to go to the Children’s Festival this year. It was great fun, and we couldn’t have done it without the transportation and tickets you provided for us. It is great to know that there is still diversity in the world. Sometimes we don’t see enough of it here in Spanaway. . . .It was interesting to see dancers and people playing music from other cultures perform in our area. It is like every culture has its own style and rhythm. I hope we are privileged enough to go on another field trip like this again next year.” –Cody Thompson, student
“Just don’t stop doing this yearly. . . .Very fun, refreshing day. I am reminded why I teach. Global awareness is more important than ever and unfortunately competing for class time with ‘testable’ subjects.” –Lynn Fahselt, teacher
“There is a great deal one may teach through words and visual material, but somehow the level at which we connect with other human beings and other cultures may be in a dimension beyond words…the dimensions of color, pattern, rhythm, feeling and beauty. This is what the Seattle International Children’s Festival offers.” –Dianne Hamry, teacher
Giant Magnet – Tickets Now On Sale
Giant Magnet gears up for the 23rd annual performing arts extravaganza (pdf).
Seattle International Children’s Festival is now . . .
New identity of Seattle International Children’s Festival unveiled
Seattle International Children’s Festival announces 2009 line-up
MEDIA COVERAGE 2009
Giant Magnet on the Seattle Channel
Check out KEXP May 11-13 for these live interviews with Giant Magnet performers:
Monday, May 11 at 7 p.m.
Best Ambiance: John Kertzer talks with Thomas Mapfumo.
Tuesday, May 12 at 6 p.m.
Wo’ Pop: Darak Mazzone meets Sidi Goma.
Wednesday, May 13 at 7 p.m.
The Roadhouse: Greg Vandy is in the studio with The Gentlemen of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
Listen live at 90.3 FM or online at KEXP.org.
MEDIA COVERAGE 2008
PRINT
Seattle Times: Seattle International Children’s Festival: A world of diversity in our backyard
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: A festival of music, mayhem and mystery takes kids on a journey around the world
Seattle Times: Performer Aurelia Thierree is a flexible pixie with a heavyweight pedigree
Seattle Times: Charlie Chaplin’s limber legacy (Aurelia’s Oratorio)
Seattle PI: Reality twisted in two shows this week (Aurelia’s Oratorio)
Seattle Weekly: All Ages. No children? No problem
ColorsNW Magazine: Preview
tu Decides: Petrona Martinez (Spanish language)
Latino Cultural Magazine: Petrona Martinez (Spanish language)
New York Times: Ethiopian Exodus, Told on a Human Scale (Nephesh Theatre Co.)
Review: Reem Kelani at the Global Divas Concert — Gary Bannister 5/16/08
ONLINE
Jungle City: Jo Taira interview and review (Japanese language)
Seattle Weekly: Pity poor magic (Aurelia’s Oratorio)
Kris Collingridge “lurves” the Festival on the ParentMap blog:
“So many styles of entertainment, so many sensibilities, so many great artists we’ve never heard of, so much diversity and color and passion — all of it crammed into one week at the Seattle Center. It’s not sanitized or cutified for kids. It assumes that children can and will rise to the occasion and honor what they’re seeing onstage. And they do.”
MEDIA COVERAGE 2007
TV
2007 Opening Night Celebration: An International Variety Show
Watch City a Go Go with Festival performer Thomas Arthur
Watch Big Night Out! The Seattle Channel Variety Show featuring Thomas Arthur
RADIO
Brian Faker on KUOW: How Do Different Cultures Promote Creativity?
PRINT
Kids review the Children’s Festival: “Everyone was like, ‘Whoa!’”
Seattle Times
May 19, 2007
“When an internationally acclaimed performance-art festival is in Seattle, it only makes sense to ask Seattle-area children what they think of it.”
A world of fusion-theater hijinks at Children’s Festival
Seattle Times
May 17, 2007
“We’ll say it again: If you think this is just kid stuff, you’re missing out. Here’s a chance for adults also to see what’s hot in Brazilian, French-Canadian, Italian and German theatrics, with no passport needed.”
Seattle International Children’s Festival is focused on creating an ageless appeal
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
May 11, 2007
“A child really learns better and get more out of an experience when they’re sharing it with the adults in their lives. So what we try to do is program shows that the adults are going to enjoy every bit as much as the children.”
Children’s Festival Looks Beyond Raffi and Rogers
Seattle Weekly
May 16, 2007
“The festival, which this year hits its 21st anniversary, has somehow avoided the pitfalls of success.”
This global Children’s Festival isn’t just for kids
Seattle Times
May 11, 2007
Going global: What’s new at Seattle International Children’s Festival
ParentMap – Out & About
May 2007
“Performers are often remarkable but little-known, and you can see them in relatively small theaters. Getting day-of tickets isn’t that big of a deal. The crowds aren’t overwhelming.”
Allen Foundation Gives More Than $1.5 Million To Local Arts Groups
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
March 7, 2007
“Another major grant, for $225,000, went to the Seattle International Children’s Festival for the development of its marketing, technology and educational programs.”
Seattle International Children’s Festival lives up to global name
Seattle Times
November 17, 2006
“Two new works, commissioned by the festival from Seattle artists, will be unveiled: a multimedia, musical-animation piece by Spectratone International, and a new show from the “lyrical juggler” Thomas Arthur.”
QUOTES
PRESS QUOTES
“For two decades, the Seattle International Children’s Festival has made wide-eyed children out of attendees of all ages…consistently strong SICF rosters have peppered families of festival-goers with gold arrows of intense emotional stimulus.”
–Gary Bannister, Sound Magazine
“The only reason it’s a children’s festival is because only children have the imaginative bandwidth to take it all in.”
–The Stranger
“One of the largest and most far-reaching arts festivals for young people in the country.”
–The New York Times
Not Just For Kids Anymore - “The Seattle International Children’s Festival needs a new name – it’s the “children” part that’s deceiving. Chances are, the same eclectic shows meant to entertain smaller festival-goers will also entertain the chaperones.”
–Seattle Metropolitan Magazine
World Party – “Every year, the Festival digs up mostly obscure and always fascinating performance troupes and musicians from around the globe and bring them to town for a weeklong children’s art blowout. Often, there’s so much good stuff going on that choosing just one performance (or three) seems like an impossible task.”
–Kris Collingridge, ParentMap
TEACHER AND STUDENT QUOTES
“. . .I think that the can-can dance was very cool! I wonder how they kick their legs so high? The Nigerian singers, I could talk about them for another hour. They were great! Five dollars was an excellent deal for one ticket to watch these shows! I hope that we could come next year!”
–Aaron Sharma, student
“Thank you so much for sponsoring the performance of Lágbájá; it was great. I am currently a 7th grader at West Valley Middle School in Yakima, Washington. I enjoy all types of music so it as very cool to hear something completely different. It was really neat how Lágbájá used modern instruments and native African instruments, the bàtá and the àkúbà drums. Lágbájá was a great experience that will stick with me for a long time.”
–Heath J. Braun, student
“I am from Africa too, Zimbabwe. I am in first grade. I liked the drumming and the spider with the big butt. The Kaleta was chasing and running the other way from Won-Ldy Paye. The show was funny!”
–Muhya, student
“Thank you for allowing us to go to the Children’s Festival this year. It was great fun, and we couldn’t have done it without the transportation and tickets you provided for us. It is great to know that there is still diversity in the world. Sometimes we don’t see enough of it here in Spanaway. . . .It was interesting to see dancers and people playing music from other cultures perform in our area. It is like every culture has its own style and rhythm. I hope we are privileged enough to go on another field trip like this again next year.”
–Cody Thompson, student
“Just don’t stop doing this yearly. . . .Very fun, refreshing day. I am reminded why I teach. Global awareness is more important than ever and unfortunately competing for class time with ‘testable’ subjects.”
–Lynn Fahselt, teacher
“There is a great deal one may teach through words and visual material, but somehow the level at which we connect with other human beings and other cultures may be in a dimension beyond words…the dimensions of color, pattern, rhythm, feeling and beauty. This is what the Seattle International Children’s Festival offers.”
–Dianne Hamry, teacher