Sitting on a patio at The Arts Center at Willits, three teens brainstorm ideas with their mentor. Every once in a while, there is a laugh or a “Yes! That’s it!” when they hit their mark. Their enthusiasm is palpable; they are glad to be there. They are the 2025 Arts Influencers at TACAW.

Launched in 2025, The Arts Influencers gives students a unique opportunity to shape arts programming for their peers, gain hands-on experience in event development, and engage with community goals. It’s open to juniors and seniors in the Roaring Fork Valley and Aspen School District.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the Arts Influencer program,” Executive Director of TACAW Ryan Honey said.

The inagural TACAW Arts Influencers program is underway with three go-getter students. Sara Gray Kokish of Roaring Fork High School, 17; Basalt High School’s Kaila Ethridge, 17; and Ava Smith, 16, are the team in the new program, along with their mentor, Education Program Manager at TACAW Anna Feiss.

“We’re working on more behind-the-scenes stuff,” said Kokish. “So one thing we just finished is the application for the Art Tank, which is a grant for local youth to apply for a performing arts project up to $5,000. We’re working on how you create a grant application, what are the criteria you are looking at. The next step will be trying to get the word out.”

Art Tank is a student-led grant funding program supporting performing arts opportunities in and around schools. Students pitch their projects to the Arts Influencers for funding. Arts Influencers evaluate proposals, allocate grants, and mentor peers.

“It’s about what they need for their project. It’s a needs-based grant,” Smith added.

She explained how students can submit an application and give a rough estimate of how much money they need. 

“Then, we review the application, and the ones that we believe are going to be the most impactful for the community. We will work out the funding on a case-by-case basis,” Smith continued. 

Applications are opening soon. The precise date will be posted on TACAW’s education page once decided. The deadline to apply will be Oct. 9.

Arts Influencers are playing a key role in organizing the second Teen Night at 7 p.m., May 9. The students are working with the TACAW team to plan, promote, and assist with day-of logistics. 

“I was absolutely blown away by how everything flowed, by how fun it was, and the whole environment,” Smith said of last year’s Teen Night. “The atmosphere really drew me in. I got really intrigued and wanted to be part of it.”

The new valley-wide quarterly event is for local teens ages 13 to 18 and showcases local youth performers on TACAW’s stage. The purpose of this free concert for all-ages is to give youth a space to have fun, socialize, and support their peers. Plus, there’s a free slice of pizza with each RSVP.

“I saw so many different types of social groups, which was what I didn’t expect,” Ethridge adds, “I had so much fun.” 

Smith, who joined Arts Influencers a month later, said the first Teen Night, which Kokish and Ethridge had helped plan, was the event that prompted her to join Arts Influencers.

The teens also influenced a successful acting workshop event put on this spring called Break into Acting: A Conversation with Joshua Feinman. Ethridge raved how Feinman was so helpful providing the actual steps future actors can take to become a working actor.

This year, the program intends to expand TACAW’s teen programming, grow TACAW’s Youth Art Pass that provides free tickets for students, expand the Art Tank grant program, evaluate programs, and implement new workshops and field trips.

“I’m so proud of these students,” Feiss gushed.

“We will continue growing our program over the next few years,” Feiss said, “We will open another application in Fall 2025.”