Forty-nine High School students competed in six arts categories – from dance choreography to music composition – this past Saturday during the state finals of Arts Across Arkansas, the Arkansas Arts Council’s mentorship and support program for young creatives.

The Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Division of Arkansas Heritage, hosted the second annual Arts Across Arkansas finals at the Westwind School for Performing Arts in Maumelle. More than 150 people attended to support young creatives in Arkansas. Eighteen creatives earned cash prizes for their work.

Arts Across Arkansas is a mentorship and professional-development program designed to encourage, enhance and expand high school students’ original thoughts, processes, personal experiences and artistic abilities. Students were nominated by their teachers in the categories of dance choreography, film, literary arts, music composition, photography and visual arts. Those nominated were judged by Arts in Education Roster members in their selected mediums, and the students chosen to move on to the state finals were then mentored and guided by AIE Roster artists on a final piece of work.

During the Arts Across Arkansas State Finals, students presented and performed their final works before judges and the public. Photos are available on our social media pages and website.

Literary Arts

1^st Place – JJ Stone – El Dorado High School

2^nd Place – Laynee DeJarnette – Eureka Springs High School

3^rd  Place – Caroline Buxton – Siloam Spring High School and Homeschool

 

Music Composition

1^st Place – Alexander Back – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts

2^nd Place – Grace Adams – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts

3^rd Place – Ethan Chen – Maumelle Charter High School/Studio of Linda Kennedy

 

Film

1^st Place – Corbin Pitts – North Little Rock High School

2^nd Place – Calen Long – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts

3^rd Place – Madelyn Terry – Star City High School

 

Dance Choreography

1^st Place – Madison Robinson – Little Rock Central High School

2^nd Place – Catherine McCraw – Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School

3^rd Place – Jamisyn Johnson – North Little Rock High School

 

Photography

1^st Place – Clint Newton – Star City High School

2^nd Place – Keith Massey – Hillcrest High School

3^rd Place – Cadyn Mizell – Star City High School

 

Visual Arts

1^st Place – Gwendolyn Oliver – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts

2^nd Place – Olivia Busby – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts

3^rd Place – Addison Reibling – Thaden School

For more information, including how to nominate a young artist for the program, please contact Matt Boyce, Arts in Education Programs Manager, at [email protected]. Learn more about the event and program at www.arkansasarts.org.