Lindsey O’Brien Kesling Young Artist Expo

A one of a kind celebration.

LOK’s Young Artist Expo (YAE) is a unique experience for attendees, showcasing the talents of gifted students who participate in programming offered through our arts partners — South Shore Dance Alliance, Bloomington Boys and Girls Club and Lubeznik Center of the Arts, which has also been our host venue since the 1st Annual YAE held Friday, June 6, 2014 in conjunction with Michigan City’s Uptown Arts District’s First Friday art event.

Here’s a video we created in 2014 to kick off this annual tradition.

The event has drawn a standing room only audience every year since the beginning, continuing as an annual event save for 2020 during the initial outbreak of covid. To support our young artists during that time, we hosted a Young Artist Conversation Series, featuring some of our past success stories and most fervent friends of LOK.

Make it stand out

In 2021 we adapted our format to a virtual event. Though we missed feeling the energy of the room and seeing the packed crowd, the gift of hosting it online is that friends of LOK who had never been able to attend in person were able to join us from all over the country (and beyond) and it’s still available today, complete with lots of behind the scenes footage not evident during the expo itself.

To date, the expo has featured countless students age 7 through 17 in all media from a few counties throughout Indiana and beyond and continues to grow with the support of donors and our dedicated arts partners.

“The education and mentorship behind the scenes necessary to prep them for YAE is extensive, only possible due to their fearless educators. I get the biggest thrill witnessing their expressions when the general public views their work. This is leadership and confidence budding 101. We have provided them a platform to express in their most natural way,” says LOK Wishing Tree Foundation’s Dot Kesling