Nearly 1,000 Butler Area School District students will participate in the returning Fine Arts and Beyond (FAB) Art and Music Showcase April 2 by contributing pieces or performing.

The show boasts artwork from students in kindergarten to 12th-grade, performances from high school music ensembles, games, raffles and other activities, according to art teacher and event organizer Erich Campbell.

“The overall goal is a night for community arts that focuses on the students, visuals and music,” he said.

Various artists from the community also will be demonstrating their artistic techniques at the event, and students will demonstrate sculpting on the pottery wheel. There will even be a kids’ craft station for younger attendees.

“This is our first in-person show since 2019,” Campbell said. “For the original show in 2003 we were small, and now we take up the entire first floor of the Intermediate High School.”

In years past, the event has raised an average of $50,000 for the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation, the district’s nonprofit organization for student scholarships and teacher grants. Campbell said the organizers have received thousands of dollars in sponsorships.

Work by high school artists will be judged for first-, second- and third-place entries, with honorable mentions. Campbell said students are excited for the show to return.

“I have seniors who had a piece in the show in first grade,” he said. “We’re looking forward to getting back together. Every year it gets exciting because the kids are excited.”

Carrie Morgan-Davis, principal of McQuistion Elementary School, said the show is a wonderful event to support art and music in schools.

“It’s exciting when you have the art in one location, you see work from all the elementary schools and it’s all a little different,” she said. “You see how you can grow in your art from K through 12. It’s amazing what these high school kids can do.”

“It’s probably the best way to showcase our students, which is what we should be doing,” Campbell said. “People love art and they love music, and people want to see what they created or are performing.”

The FAB Art and Music Showcase will take place from 4:30 to 8 p.m. April 2 at the Butler Intermediate High School. Admission is free.