The Firehouse Arts Center is a vibrant arts and media center that showcases several different art forms. On Sept. 8th, the center held an inaugural art and music fest to celebrate the artistic community.
“At the Firehouse, we show a variety of mediums. We have Colored Pencils with the Colored Pencils Society of America, but we’ve had sculptures and older paintings,” said Sydney Tang, the gallery curator.
Since the late 1800s, the Firehouse Arts Center’s main purpose has been to connect the community and serve as an artistic outlet accessible to everyone. The center features various artworks from around the world, which helps to expand the audience’s perception of the art world.
“We’ve shown artists from all over the world, and I hope to bring more creative individuals into the Firehouse and show them to the Pleasanton community,” said Tang.
The Firehouse Art and Music Fest provided opportunities to foster the students’ creativity and become more involved in their community.
“I’m part of High School Music Collaborative, and we make music together. Making music is a way to destress from [academic pressure] and express creativity. The Firehouse Art Fest is important because kids can do [music] at the Firehouse with the safety of their friends,” said Saesha Sharda (‘24).
The festival had live music performances along with crafting and activities. The music performers put on a dynamic spectacle and interacted with the crowd, encouraging people from all age groups to sing and dance.
“Going to the festival was really great. I liked how it brought the Pleasanton community together. I also liked the live music and how everyone was clapping, singing, and even dancing to the music. It was just great to see our town so lively and connected,” said Joyce Huang (‘25).
Several Pleasanton-based organizations set up arts and crafts stands that offered hands-on activities. It allowed people to create their own artwork, learn new skills, and support small businesses.
“I helped manage the Museum on Main booth and helped kids create their own light-up card. The best part of my job was talking to kids and parents and teaching them how circuits work,” said a Granada High School student, Diya Mitragotri (‘25).
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The Firehouse Arts Center held an art and music fest to help connect the community with the art world.
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The festival had live music performances to accompany the art demos and activites.
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Inside the theater, performers played a selection of relaxing music.
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Chieko Shimizu, a glass mosaic artist, strategically layers various colors to capture the multiple dimensions of her piece.
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