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Encinitas cultural arts director says youth piano concerto will not be held in 2026
Summary
Director Dave Knott told the commission the youth piano concerto will not be planned for 2026 because it is not budgeted and current participation and audience composition do not justify the city expense.
Dave Knott, director of cultural arts for the City of Encinitas, told the Commission for the Arts on Aug. 4 that the city will not plan the youth piano concerto for 2026.
Knott said the city held its second youth piano concerto this year with more than 30 applicants and three selected performers who performed with the North Coastal Symphony. He described the event as "a fantastic event" with significant staff and orchestra costs. Knott estimated the event’s direct costs at roughly $12,000, and said the program has been funded from non‑budgeted sources within Parks, Recreation, Culture and Arts rather than as a line item in the department budget.
Knott and commissioners said the event’s audience has tended to include a minority of Encinitas residents (Knott said about 30% were Encinitas residents in prior years), and staff concluded the city was not meeting desired local impact relative to the expenses. Knott said staff will look for lower‑cost alternatives and other ways to present youth piano experiences — for example, smaller educational formats that allow youth to engage directly with the instrument and musicians, site-based demonstrations, and youth‑oriented programming during Art Night — rather than continuing the concerto in its current form.
Commissioners acknowledged disappointment at the decision while noting fiscal realities. One commissioner praised Vice Chair Jennifer Morakovic’s (Vice Chair, Commission for the Arts) efforts on the program and encouraged clearer expectations and performance metrics for future initiatives (attendance by Encinitas residents, participant counts, and budget alignment) so proposers understand program requirements.
Why it matters: The youth piano concerto gave local students a rare performance opportunity with a symphony orchestra. The commission said it will look for alternative, lower‑cost ways to promote youth music and engagement with the Steinway at Pacific View Arts Center while preserving opportunities for local youth.
What’s next: Staff will not budget the concerto as a Parks, Recreation, Culture and Arts line item for 2026 and will explore alternative programming and educational formats to encourage youth music participation and local attendance.
