A Splash of Color: Cocktails for KID smART Celebrates 23 years

Written By Alicia Vial

Event benefits expansion of arts education across New Orleans and beyond

NEW ORLEANS – The 23rd annual Cocktails for KID smART is celebrating with “A Splash of Color” March 19 at The Cannery. The annual event, made possible by presenting sponsor Ochsner Health, supports program expansion in more than 12 schools and enables the organization to be a powerful force for arts education in New Orleans and beyond.

“We have a lot to celebrate this year,” said Elise Gallinot Goldman, executive director of KID smART. “We are thrilled to be opening the KID smART Center for Arts & Education, a dream realized thanks to the steadfast support from our Cocktails for KID smART guests and supporters! This fundraiser is a driving force behind expanding our programming and creating meaningful, lasting change for students and educators in the community.”

Chaired by KID smART board members Erin Hymel, Ragan Gankendorff and Nancy Rebold, Cocktails for KID smART kicks off at 6 p.m. with an exclusive patron hour featuring live entertainment from local producer, trumpeter and emcee, Juice. The main event begins at 7 p.m. with art activities, games and a sparkle station by Pixie Dust. There will also be a silent and live auction showcasing the artwork of Devin “Cypher” Dennis, a week-long stay at a Sonoma Valley villa with winery excursions and a four-night stay in Telluride, Colorado with exclusive tickets to Telluride Tabel events, and more.

“Ochsner Health is proud to continue our partnership with KID smART to expand access to high-quality arts education for children across our community,” said Emily Arata, system vice president of community affairs at Ochsner Health. “Together, we've seen firsthand how arts-integrated programming transforms student outcomes, and we're excited to build on our momentum, reaching even more students and educators in 2026.”

Founded in 1999, KID smART provides public school students with greater access to arts-rich education. In its 27-year history, KID smART has served more than 70,000 students and 15,000 teachers in schools throughout New Orleans and beyond. With the belief that the power of the arts should be available to all children, KID smART works within public schools to reach underserved children with the most to gain from an arts-rich, social-emotional education. 

Cocktails for KID smART is the primary vehicle through which the community at large supports the mission of KID smART. Tickets start at $125, with a Friends Under 40 discount available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit kidsmart.org/cocktails-for-kid-smart.

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About KID smART
Over the last two decades, KID smART has collaborated with more than 40 New Orleans public schools to blend the arts into academic lessons to make classrooms more effective and joyful places to learn. Through full-year artist residencies, students in KID smART Creative Schools prove to grow academically, artistically and emotionally. KID smART also partners with national thought leaders, including Harvard’s Project Zero Classroom, to incorporate best practices in arts and education into its program model. The KID smART Center for Arts & Education, opening in 2026, will provide a permanent home for free and low-cost arts education in the Bayou Road/7th Ward Neighborhood.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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