Kankakee, IL – This weekend, the Merchant Street Art Gallery is set to host an interactive puppet show, “Mission to Mars” for a space-aged adventure. Audience participation and donations are encouraged, and appreciated. Social distancing guidelines will be put into place.

The show will be held Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. The Merchant Street Art Gallery of Artists with Autism has been highlighting local talent for several years and is located at 356 East Merchant Street in downtown Kankakee. 

“The City of Kankakee is fortunate to have the Merchant Street Art Gallery in the community along with the volunteers who work tirelessly to provide opportunities for the artists," said Mayor Wells-Armstrong.

In honor of Autism Awareness Month in April, the gallery has been encouraging more community engagement. Community members are invited to hunt for hidden puzzle pieces with prizes written on the back by stopping by the art gallery, as well as contribute to the community puzzle by personalizing a large jigsaw piece in the studio which will be on display.

“We will also hosting a sale of benches painted by our artists on June 13th, and we have the ‘Run for Autism’ event on June 20th. We are looking for more people with autism who enjoy art. Our newest artist is a boy from Brazil,” said  Janice Miller, Director of the Merchant Street Art Gallery.

The gallery is open to the public from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The gallery is also open on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.merchantstreetartgallery.org/ or follow the gallery on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ArtistsWithAutism15.

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The City of Kankakee is dedicated to protecting, building, and nurturing the community while enhancing lives. We are a historic, vibrant, and active riverfront community. We continue to transform into an extraordinary place to dream, grow, and thrive. Embracing our diversity, we strive to be progressive, inclusive, and innovative. For more information on the City of Kankakee, please visit the website at www.citykankakee-il.gov.

 

Download the Press Release - Mission to Mars: Interactive Puppet Show Presented by the Merchant Street Art Gallery on Saturday