On one of the busiest days on Debbie Tobin’s calendar she prefers to keep a low profile.
That “busy” day comes on Monday (Feb. 9), the seventh year of the Children’s Arts Festival at the Richmond Cultural Centre.
But it’s not like Tobin shrinks into the shadows — she’s prepared to roll up her sleeves and do whatever it takes to run the event she envisioned then kicked off.
As artistic director — a title placed on her this year — she prefers to watch intently the impact it has on the youngsters taking part in the variety of hands-on programs and performances held throughout the day.
And last year, one instance captured what the festival is all about.
“One little boy, who was looking around at the festival, came up to me and asked me, ‘Am I at a party?’ And I said, ‘Yes, you’re at a party.’ And his response was, ‘I love it.’”
Tobin, a local teacher for the past 24 years, said that instance filled her with pride at how the festival has been able develop and grow.
“We honestly took a shot on a dark horse,” she said. “Seven years ago I was a nobody, just a kindergarten teacher who had an idea. And who knew we’d get to this in seven years?
“Back then, we started with two days, two people, 200 kids and $2,000.”
This year’s attendance is expected to be around 10,000 on the Monday, with another 4,000 students taking in the school visit portion of the event throughout the remainder of the week.
The strength of the festival lies with its core goal, Tobin said.
“It’s for children to be able to develop their artistic voice and show it off in a very public manner.”
That vision was derived from Tobin’s early work in the classroom with students who had behavioural and learning challenges.
“Many years ago I had one student who I just couldn’t reach,” she said. “But then I noticed he was drawing everything.”
That’s what prompted Tobin to ask why not more was done locally to celebrate the arts for children.
“I wanted to know why we don’t celebrate the arts the same way we celebrate sports,” Tobin said. “Why can’t these kids have their own FIFA (World) Cup, just for the arts. Without that we were leaving this huge group of kids without a voice.”
