Brady Soglin might be headed for Broadway.

The Lincoln Elementary School third-grader mastered the art of costume design with his “Scar” mask, which was featured in Sunday’s Young Evanston Artists’ 15th annual art festival.

Soglin later donned the mask, inspired by a character in the musical version of “The Lion King,” when he played the part of the evil uncle in his class presentation of the play.

Hundreds of Evanston residents came to see sculpture, painting, drawing and textile exhibits of Evanston pre-school through high school students.

Evanston resident and antique store owner Harvey Pranian established the non-competitive fair in 1988, enlisting the help of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 art teachers to provide student work. Pranian said his original goal was to “give back to the community” by providing an opportunity for cooperation between the schools and the city.

“You’d only see this (fair) in Evanston,” Pranian said. “Arts have always been strong here. There’s lots of support from the community.”

Pranian said recent cutbacks in the art budget of District 65 might force the end of the festival, which depends on the art teachers to provide the exhibits.

“The cutback is going to be dreadful,” he said. “It’s all run through the art programs in the schools. If the teachers have to cut back, logistically it just can’t happen.”

Pranian estimated that 4,000 to 5,000 students played a part in this year’s festival, held at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street.

Forty-three schools participated, and student dance troupes and choirs from the area performed on a stage.

The original festival did not feature performing arts, which Pranian said were a great addition.

“It’s really expanded the festival,” Pranian said. “It’s a real complement to have all the fine arts going on while the kids are performing.”

Lincoln Elementary art teacher Diane Peachin said she is “devastated” by the idea of budget cuts in art education.

“I find kids who are brilliant (in art) who fall through the cracks somewhere else,” Peachin said. “Many kids succeed here who are visual thinkers and creative thinkers.”

Much of the work at Peachin’s exhibit was the result of Lincoln’s theme day, “A Journey Through Africa,” which integrates both visual and performing arts through workshops and performances.

Some of her other students expressed reactions to Sept. 11 in their artwork, which Peachin said “was very powerful.”

“A lot of times kids find it hard to put (those reactions) into words,” Peachin said.

Pranian said he is pleased the festival has become such a part of the community, with the Chicago Dempster Merchants Association giving support and Evanston businesses donating materials.

“The whole area of arts is so important to kids,” Pranian said. “What’s great about the festival is that it does involve every facet of the community.”