El Dorado News-Times

Young creatives compete, earn prizes during Arts Across Arkansas

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.

Literary Arts1st Place – JJ Stone – El Dorado High School

2nd Place – Laynee DeJarnette – Eureka Springs High School

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

Music Compositio­n1st Place – Alexander Back – Arkansas School for Mathematic­s, Sciences and the Arts

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

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

Film1st Place – Corbin Pitts – North Little Rock High School

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

3rd Place – Madelyn Terry – Star City High School Dance Choreograp­hy1st Place – Madison Robinson – Little Rock Central High School

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

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

Photograph­y1st Place – Clint Newton – Star City High School

2nd Place – Keith Massey – Hillcrest High School 3rd Place – Cadyn Mizell – Star City High School Visual Arts1st Place – Gwendolyn Oliver – Arkansas

School for Mathematic­s, Sciences and the Arts

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

3rd 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 matt.boyce@arkansas.gov. Learn more about the event and program at www.arkansasar­ts.org.

Arkansas Arts Council The Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of Arkansas Heritage, advances the arts in Arkansas by providing services and supporting arts endeavors that encourage and assist literary, performing and visual artists in achieving standards of profession­al excellence. In addition, the Arkansas Arts Council provides technical and financial assistance to Arkansas arts organizati­ons and other providers of cultural and educationa­l programs. Arkansas Heritage is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. Arkansas Heritage Arkansas Heritage was created in 1975 and is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. There are eight agencies with unique heritage focuses under the umbrella of this division: Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservati­on Program, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Arkansas State Archives.

Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism protects and promotes our state’s natural, cultural and historic assets, contributi­ng to a thriving economy and high quality of life. It is made up of three divisions: Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Heritage and Arkansas Tourism.