All Kids Included (AKI) Family Arts Festival to be held at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center on Saturday, May 6

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is presenting the 17^th annual All Kids Included (AKI) Family Arts Festival, a free community arts event for children and families of all abilities on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The event, held at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center (The Moss Center), 10950 SW 211 St., in Cutler Bay from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature live performances, interactive arts activities, book giveaways, food vendors and family entertainment.

The Festival features two sensory-inclusive performances of "The Boy Who Grew Flowers", adapted from the bestselling picture book by Jennifer Wojtowicz, which bring to life a touching and magical story using puppetry, original music, and movement. The Festival will also feature ((( light waves ))), a digital and projection-based art installation by South Florida-based artist Monica Lopez De Victoria.

Winners of the All Kids Included Student Art Competition will be announced at the festival and their artwork will be on display. For the competition, students submitted artwork based on the themes from the book "You Matter", written and illustrated by multi-award winner Christian Robinson. Children attending the festival will receive a free copy of the award-winning book, "You Matter", while supplies last.

The AKI Festival will also feature performances by the Children's Voice Chorus, Greater Miami Youth Symphony, Miami Lighthouse Youth Music Program, South Florida Ballet, artist Michael Gil's Moving Music Museum, interactive performances by African Watoto, and American Sign Language (ASL) storytelling by John Paul Jebian.

A wide range of accommodations will be available at the festival to help make the arts accessible to every child and family member in attendance. The event will utilize access technology and accommodations such as sensory inclusive performances, a Quiet Room staffed by Advocacy Network on Disabilities, open captions, ASL interpretation, assistive listening, large print, Braille, and Audio Description.

The AKI Festival is presented with support from The Children's Trust and the National Endowment for the Arts.

All Kids Included – Accessible Arts Experiences for Kids is an initiative of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs which promotes inclusive arts and cultural programs in school settings and throughout the community enabling kids of all abilities and their families to participate fully in the arts. The program is funded in part through a grant provided by The Children’s Trust.  The Children's Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. 

About the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, diversity, access and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Peacock Foundation, Inc. and The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium and the Tourist Development Council.