“An arts education makes us all better, more empathetic people.”

 – Neuqua Valley Student Musician

The Fine Arts Festival began in 1987 as a way to share the creative talent of K-12 art and music students with the community. Originally hosted in a tent behind Brookdale Elementary, the inaugural participants were the district’s five elementary schools, Hill Middle School and Waubonsie Valley High School.

The annual festival has grown into the district’s largest event, spanning all three high school campuses and hosting 80 musical performances featuring 9,000 students. It also features 12,000 pieces of K-12 artwork representing students from all 33  district schools. Attendance averages 28,000 for the one day event held every May. Parent attendees not only enjoy performances and art created by their children, but they also witness the talents of the older students who have progressed through the district’s Fine Arts curricula.

The festival is costly to sponsor, but there is never an admission charge. However, donations for the festival have diminished, leading to discussion of curtailing the event.

Fund The Fine Arts Festival !

 Make A Donation Today ❤

“The allure of Prism is that all the kids are really working together.”

 – Will Burck, WVHS Music Teacher

‘The hottest ticket in town.’  That’s how many music patrons describe the IPSD204 Annual Holiday Concerts. The first – Waubonsie’s  Prism Concert – began in 1992, and is now accompanied by Neuqua’s Crystal Concert and Metea’s Collage Concert. These celebrations of the district’s award-winning high school music programs have always been free to the public, courtesy of IPEF sponsorship.

These unique performances showcase each school’s choir, orchestra and band students in both large group and small ensemble performances of a wide variety of holiday-themed music. The breathtaking grand finale of each concert features over 500 student musicians gathered both on-stage and in the aisles among the audience.

The Annual Holiday Concerts are one of the best opportunities for the general public to enjoy the incredible talent of the district’s top music students, as well as the creativity and professionalism of their instructors. They’re also a great way to get in the holiday spirit. 

“The beauty of  the arts in IPSD204 is we ask our kids to DREAM BIG !”

 – MVHS Music Teacher

IPEF has long supported teachers’ efforts to innovate by bringing in topical experts who can not only inform, but inspire their students. For music, art and theater classes, we call these programs ‘artist-in-residence.’ They are now a part of our Teacher Grant program, and a valuable component of IPSD204’s Music and Fine Arts education that makes the district so distinctive.

Artist-in-Residence programs can take a variety of forms: 

• A master class to give students a topical ‘deep dive’ with a world-class practitioner,
• Exposure to ideas or experience that might be counter-intuitive, but completely valid,
• Completing the circle on a project or portion of curricula with a recognized expert.

The videos below are examples of recent Artist-in-Residence programs. To help IPEF keep bringing opportunities like these to our students, please:

 Donate to the IPEF General Fund ❤