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The Festival Story
Since its founding in 1997, ICAF has focused on hosting children's celebrations on The National Mall, where creative young Americans and children from around the world could explore their creativity, spark their imagination and develop bonds that last forever.
The Festival is a "live arts and cultural experience" for thousands of participants. It becomes a "mediated art experience" for millions more, filtered through a technological medium such as television, press, radio or the Internet.
ICAF creates an environment conducive for a comprehensive and wholesome live arts experience that incorporates many forms of the arts and integrates them into a unique learning and life experience. The festival concept is akin to composer Richard Wagner's ambition to create a "Gesamtkunstwerk," a total work of art that includes music, poetry, painting and drama, so that it becomes a complete synaesthetic experience.
The ICAF Festival becomes the shared experience for children around the world, a turning point, a frame of reference, a touchstone to guide the next generation.
ICAF launched an Arts Olympiad for children, which starts with a global art competition and culminates in the world's largest international children's celebration on The National Mall.
The Festival is a "live arts and cultural experience" for thousands of participants. It becomes a "mediated art experience" for millions more, filtered through a technological medium such as television, press, radio or the Internet.
ICAF creates an environment conducive for a comprehensive and wholesome live arts experience that incorporates many forms of the arts and integrates them into a unique learning and life experience. The festival concept is akin to composer Richard Wagner's ambition to create a "Gesamtkunstwerk," a total work of art that includes music, poetry, painting and drama, so that it becomes a complete synaesthetic experience.
The ICAF Festival becomes the shared experience for children around the world, a turning point, a frame of reference, a touchstone to guide the next generation.
ICAF launched an Arts Olympiad for children, which starts with a global art competition and culminates in the world's largest international children's celebration on The National Mall.
ChildArtUSA
It was one of the best experiences of my life!
- Jenna Skophammer (age 11), Iowa
- Jenna Skophammer (age 11), Iowa
In 1998, ICAF hosted the first-ever national children's art festival. The festival was part of ICAF's Millennium Program that encouraged children to celebrate the new millennium by employing their own creativity and imagination. Read More...
See a video clip...
1999 Festival
More than one million children in 86 countries participated in ICAF's global art competition organized by the offices of first ladies, ministries of education or culture, children organizations, national museums, and UNESCO in-country offices. Delegations from 50 countries participated in the ICAF 1999 Festival on June 29 - July 6, 1999. Read more...
ICAF's Methodology
Shortly after September 11, 2001, ICAF started developing a Peace Through Art methodology to incorporate the extensive research and learning in the fields of psychology, peace education and the arts. The Peace Through Art Methodology, developed jointly with the Center for the Study of Mind and Human Interaction at the University of Virginia, was successfully applied in ICAF's peace education program for Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot youth in July 2002� Read more...
The same methodology provides the educational basis for ICAF's festivals, which aims to create empathy and understanding among children of diverse nationalities, cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds and religious affiliations. First Lady Laura Bush has said that: "A lasting victory in the war against terror depends on educating the world's children, because educated children are much more likely to embrace the values that defeat terror."
The same methodology provides the educational basis for ICAF's festivals, which aims to create empathy and understanding among children of diverse nationalities, cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds and religious affiliations. First Lady Laura Bush has said that: "A lasting victory in the war against terror depends on educating the world's children, because educated children are much more likely to embrace the values that defeat terror."
2003 Festival
Creative children from across America and around the world will come together on The National Mall in Washington, DC this September to 'paint a new future for the world.'
The festival will showcase the important role that children and the arts can play to promote international understanding, empathy and cooperation. This historic event will lay the foundation for a future world leadership that is both creative and cooperative.
Three days of public events, free and open to all, will take place on The National Mall between 7th and 12th Streets - the National Park Service has reserved the five city blocks exclusively for the festival. The Official Delegates will meet and interact with thousands of children and families from the Greater Washington Area and visitors from near and far. The program each day will focus on an important universal theme: Mother Earth Day on September 9th; Children's Wellness Day on September 10th; and Children's Peace Day on September 11th, when the children will unite to 'commemorate the past and celebrate the future'.
Working with approximately 50 organizations and institutions, ICAF will transform The National Mall into a model venue for arts learning and global education. The setup on The Mall will include an international children's art exhibition on the theme Me in the New Millennium; an arts and crafts studio; a world cultural exposition; an online creativity tech-center; a stage for dazzling performances by children; and a festival school for educational workshops and leadership training conducted by international experts.
The renowned artist and author, George Rodrigue of Blue Dog fame, will direct art creation during parts of the event. He is designing collaborative peace murals and will join the children in painting them on The National Mall.
The festival will showcase the important role that children and the arts can play to promote international understanding, empathy and cooperation. This historic event will lay the foundation for a future world leadership that is both creative and cooperative.
Three days of public events, free and open to all, will take place on The National Mall between 7th and 12th Streets - the National Park Service has reserved the five city blocks exclusively for the festival. The Official Delegates will meet and interact with thousands of children and families from the Greater Washington Area and visitors from near and far. The program each day will focus on an important universal theme: Mother Earth Day on September 9th; Children's Wellness Day on September 10th; and Children's Peace Day on September 11th, when the children will unite to 'commemorate the past and celebrate the future'.
Working with approximately 50 organizations and institutions, ICAF will transform The National Mall into a model venue for arts learning and global education. The setup on The Mall will include an international children's art exhibition on the theme Me in the New Millennium; an arts and crafts studio; a world cultural exposition; an online creativity tech-center; a stage for dazzling performances by children; and a festival school for educational workshops and leadership training conducted by international experts.
The renowned artist and author, George Rodrigue of Blue Dog fame, will direct art creation during parts of the event. He is designing collaborative peace murals and will join the children in painting them on The National Mall.
Impact
The festival will be a transformational experience in the lives of the young participants. Art as a powerful and language-independent medium will help develop bonds between American and non-American children, and among all children. Trained as creative leaders of the future, these children will help change the world.
The festival will be a turning point in the lives of all participants. The young and old will learn that the arts and cultures are essential elements in the nurturing of creativity. They will learn to see the world in creative new ways, imagining peace as an integral part of our destiny.
The festival will also have a positive and exponential impact on millions of individuals throughout the world through webcam, television and media coverage. The positive images of diverse groups of children working together and their powerful messages of promise and hope will create a ripple effect that extends from The National Mall to communities around the globe.
The festival will be a turning point in the lives of all participants. The young and old will learn that the arts and cultures are essential elements in the nurturing of creativity. They will learn to see the world in creative new ways, imagining peace as an integral part of our destiny.
The festival will also have a positive and exponential impact on millions of individuals throughout the world through webcam, television and media coverage. The positive images of diverse groups of children working together and their powerful messages of promise and hope will create a ripple effect that extends from The National Mall to communities around the globe.
Phone: 202-530-1000 • Fax: 202-530-1080 � Email: childart@icaf.org