Live Yes Studios Fundraiser to Feature Live Art, Raffles, Music and Food on Saturday

By Jacob Elliott

Aug. 11, 2017

Art can help change a person’s life, so why not help an organization who help inspire artists. Live Yes Studios is having its first fundraiser — Say Yes to Live Yes — this Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at their studios, 1233 Arapahoe St.

The program gives people who experience disabilities an opportunity to explore art mediums and projects. They hope to enrich the lives of through various art forms and employ local artists and musicians from the community to teach classes and lessons that allow their students to express themselves.

Live Yes Studios has been fortunate enough to receive donations from a variety of different organizations, businesses and individuals to help with the fundraiser.

“Through the grace of the community here in Lincoln, we’re going to have one heck of a raffle. About every restaurant in town has given us gift certificates,” said Craig Casados, director of Live Yes Studios. ”It’s just amazing how much the community has reached out to help us.”

Live Yes Studios is hoping to raise around $20,000 to enhance their visual and performing arts departments with ceramic wheels, cameras, dampening supplies and recording equipment. The event will include artwork from 31 artists and 20 staff artists, all of which will be for sale.

Activities at the event will include a pottery painting event, several art demonstrations, photo booths and more. Tours of the new studio will be going on an hourly basis.

Wes Staley will be doing several oil painting art demonstrations and Kelly Blacketeer will be doing a space painting demonstration. A paper flower demonstration will be done by one the studio’s’ regular volunteers.

The event will involve food trucks from The Gilded Swine, Big Love’s BBQ and Shivers.
A raffle will also be going on, with prizes from The Cookie Company, The Tattoo Shop, Kansas City Royals, Lincoln Children’s Museum, The Escape Room, AmuManu, Lost in Fun, Fireworks, Chuck E. Cheese and many more. Raffle tickets are priced at $2 each.

Joey Plunkett will start off the music at the event from 4 to 5:30 p.m and DJ Relic will then continue from 5:30 until the end of the event.

“I believe in the mission of what they’re doing there,” Plunkett said. “I’m glad to be able to offer anything I can do to help bring awareness to what they’re doing.”

DJ Relic, who prefers to spin vinyl 45s over the digital files on a computer, has a record collection that spans the decades, with Motown Soul, pop and hip hop from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Joey Plunkett is the owner of Meadowlark Coffee shop and local musician. Currently, he plays both covers and original songs based in the funk, jazz and samba genre with a little social commentary thrown in for good measure.

More information about Say Yes to Live Yes is available on the Facebook event page.