Students of all ages featured in May 21 Plaza Diane fundraising eventArtists of various ages, and working in different media, will showcase their work during the Fine Arts Spring Extravaganza next week. The May 21 event is a fundraiser for Plaza Diane — Community Center for the Arts in the heart of downtown Powell. The arts center is under construction and slated to open later this summer.

“We want to support this community effort, because it will benefit our fine-arts students,” said Jo Mitchell, an elementary school music teacher who is helping organize the event.

The event is a district-wide collaborative effort, from singing third-graders to artistic high schoolers to a supportive administration, Mitchell said.

Construction for Plaza Diane — Community Center for the Arts is funded through a nearly $1 million community facilities grant. The Plaza Diane Board of Directors is raising money to create an endowment to help pay the center's operating costs.

Mitchell said the school district will benefit from the community center, and employees and students want to pitch in and help raise money for the endowment.

“We know it will be a nice thing for the community,” she said. “We're hoping to make this an annual event.”