Festival Deepens its Commitment to Youth Creativity Through Strategic Community Partnerships
COCONUT GROVE, FL, UNITED STATES, February 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Coconut Grove Arts Festival (CGAF), presented by First Horizon Bank, has awarded a $10,000 grant to Comic Kids, a Miami-based nonprofit delivering free, high-quality art instruction and supplies to children across South Florida. The grant is part of the festival’s broader commitment to education, mentorship, and community partnerships that support emerging artists and ensure the arts remain accessible to future generations.
Founded in 2018 by Miami fine art dealers Reed and Kat Horth, Comic Kids serves children ages 5 to 12 in pediatric hospitals, foster care programs, homeless shelters, and underserved schools throughout the region. The organization teaches foundational and advanced drawing skills using comics, cartoons, and beloved characters as gateways to lessons in perspective, shading, scale, and color. The GCAF donation will support their partnership with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation in the creation of a Spanish video series. “Language access is essential to our mission,” said Kat Horth. “With CGAF’s support, we can reach more children, especially those whose first language is Spanish, and ensure our programs remain free, inclusive, and impactful.”
Just yesterday, the Ryan Seacrest Studios at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital hosted some members of the CGAF and Coconut Grove Rotary Club to witness a drawing and card making activity, which was recorded. The class was broadcasted throughout patient rooms, and the recording was kept for all Seacrest Studios nationally to be able to access, bringing its programming into even more hospitals and community settings where children benefit most from creative outlets.
During the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Comic Kids will have their own activation within the Inner Artist section where families and children get to explore their inner Picasso. The activity will guide children in drawing cute, kawaii-style South Florida characters like peacocks, parrots, flamingos and butterflies. Using step-by-step examples at each table, kids will draw and color the characters directly onto white folding cards, then decorate them with tropical stickers, stick-on gems, and other supplies. Younger children will have a simpler coloring and cut-and-paste option, while those over age five will be encouraged to practice drawing. With the support of Scholastic Books, they will also be doing a “Read and Draw” of the popular children’s graphic novel “Dog Man” in theatrical voices, then teach the kids how to draw in the style of the author Dav Pilkey.
The nonprofit’s mission is personal for co-founder Reed Horth, who credits his own childhood involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters and early exposure to comics with sparking a lifelong passion for reading, illustration, and art. “What stood out to us is Comic Kids’ ability to scale without losing the human touch,” said CGAF Executive Director Camille Marchese. “Since 2020, they’ve reached thousands of children by meeting them where they are, whether in classrooms, foster care settings, hospitals, or virtual spaces. Their instruction is thoughtful, professional, and confidence-building.”
About The Coconut Grove Arts Festival
For 62 years, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival has been dedicated to cultivating future generations of artists. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3), the organization champions South Florida’s arts community through educational programs and by hosting one of the nation’s premier outdoor art festivals. Proceeds fund year-round initiatives including scholarships, the Visiting Artists Program, and the Next Generation Emerging Artist Program. Learn more at cgaf.com.
Dina Allende
Clique PR
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