By Stacy Mantle
Mail

Now in its 38th year, the Holiday Prelude has done far more than merely host a luncheon and fashion showcase.

The event has quietly become one of Arizona’s most enduring sources of support for youth arts education, helping students discover music, theater and the power of creative expression.

Held Dec. 5 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, the annual fundraiser serves as a lifeline for programs that give young performers hands-on learning, rehearsal space, backstage experience and artistic mentorship through Arizona’s oldest operating theater.

The Holiday Prelude helps to ensure access remains possible regardless of a student’s ZIP code, school model or financial background.

Arizona schools continue to experience uneven access to arts education, particularly in high poverty districts and rural areas. As public funding fluctuates, community events like Holiday Prelude have become critical stabilizers.

“Every penny raised at this event supports the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras and Phoenix Theatre Company Guild,” said Gail Eagleburger, a member of the board of directors. “Workshops, backstage learning and student scholarships are only possible because the community shows up for arts education.”

The PYSO relies on Holiday Prelude funds to sustain ensemble instruction, instrument needs, touring opportunities and coaching for students from elementary through high school. For many young musicians, especially those without access to school-based arts programs, PYSO becomes their primary pathway to formal music education.

The role of community investment

Both organizations reinvest the proceeds into the broader arts community, supporting collaborative performances and educational outreach programs across the Valley.

The Phoenix Theatre Guild directs Holiday Prelude funds toward theater workshops, backstage tours, youth musical theater classes, summer camps and community outreach efforts that expand access to hands-on arts education for children and adults across the Valley.

“For students, this funding translates into real rehearsal hours, real instruments and real mentors,” said Dorothy Sawyer, a member of the board of directors. “It directly impacts who gets to participate in music and for how long.”

Together, the Guild and the Symphony reinvest in community-wide arts programming and public events that reach beyond their own stages, helping maintain a strong and inclusive arts ecosystem throughout the Valley of the Sun.

“Arts funding is one of the first things to shrink when budgets tighten,” Eagleburger said. “Events like this help ensure students don’t lose opportunities.”

Supporting local talent

In addition to a luncheon and boutique shopping, the Holiday Prelude serves as a showcase for local fashion educators shaping Arizona’s next generation of designers. 

Phoenix College instructor and fashion designer Amelia Walsh displayed a collection inspired by hummingbirds and dragonflies, using fluid silhouettes, layered textures and bright botanical colors to reflect the movement and elegance of the natural world.

Walsh teaches patternmaking and apparel design at Phoenix College, where she helps students understand construction, sustainability and the artistic process behind contemporary fashion.

Arizona State University faculty member and designer Joanna de’Shay presented pieces from her Black Russian Label, a women’s collection defined by modern tailoring, bold lines and global influences drawn from her multicultural upbringing.

In addition to designing, de’Shay teaches in ASU’s Herberger Institute fashion program and developed a course on inclusion and diversity in the fashion industry. Her work focuses on preparing students to enter a rapidly evolving industry with cultural awareness, business strategy and a strong design identity.

A model to follow

Sustained investment in arts education has long-term academic and workforce benefits. Participation in music and theater is associated with higher engagement, stronger attendance, improved graduation rates and increased college-going behaviors.

Future funding strategies could expand on the Holiday Prelude model through year-round giving campaigns, employer-supported arts grants and cross-sector partnerships with school districts and charter networks. Increasing collaboration among arts organizations could also help reach rural and low income students who often have limited enrichment access.

The Holiday Prelude is more than a seasonal celebration. It highlights how community-driven investment can strengthen arts education across Arizona and ensure the next generation of performers, designers and creative thinkers has the opportunity to learn, participate and lead.

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.