Best to all the contestants, and appreciation to those supporting the contest —
Mark Twain T-shirt Art Contest for K-12 Students
For the fourth year in a row, the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded a local partnership to bring the national Big Read initiative to Rock, Walworth and Jefferson County. Mark Twain in the Rock River Basin will be the focus of this year’s Big Read in southeastern Wisconsin. Led by the Irvin L. Young Library in Whitewater, the Arrowhead Library System in Rock County and UW-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium the Big Read will provide a host of activities and in-school outreach.
The Big Read activities begin with an art competition for K-12 students. Students in Rock, Walworth, Jefferson Counties and surrounding communities are invited to submit their own Mark Twain inspired artwork. One design will be chosen as the official Big Read 2012 logo and printed on 100 give-away Big Read t-shirts. Up to 20 other designs will be chosen and exhibited at Studio 84, in Whitewater.
The competition submissions are due on March 15th by noon to the Young Auditorium. The winning entry will be given a hardcover copy of The Collected Works of Mark Twain, two free t-shirts with their artwork, and four tickets to Mark Twain Tonight! starring Hal Holbrook, April 21, 2012 at 7:30 pm. The student’s teacher will receive 2 tickets to Mark Twain Tonight! Finalists have their work displayed at Studio 84 in Whitewater. Interested art teachers and students may receive full details by contacting the Young Auditorium at 262-472-4444 or online at http://youngauditorium.wordpress.com/.
This National Endowment for the Arts Big Read Grant gives young adults the opportunity to learn more about reading, writing, different cultures, and encourages them to explore their interest in these areas. The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Local sponsorship supported is provided by Fort HealthCare, American Family Insurance, The Janesville Gazette and the Daily Jefferson County Union.
“This year’s Big Read already has twenty-two area libraries signed on as partners which is the most we’ve had yet,” noted Ben Strand, Development and Assistant Director of the Young Auditorium. “The T-Shirt Competition is a great addition to the list of Big Read events, because it is another way for young adults to get involved and be active in learning, and also because it helps them express themselves through their designs. We are still looking for more volunteers to help coordinate children’s events, lead book discussion in their communities and to promote activities in throughout the area. The full roster of Big Read events keeps growing. Check with your local library or the Big Read blog for updates.”
For more information about The Big Read please visit www.neabigread.org.
The Young Auditorium is a 1,300 seat performing arts center located in Whitewater that serves southeastern Wisconsin. Each season the auditorium presents the best in touring professional productions from Broadway, Rock & Roll, Shakespeare, Family Friendly Favorites and Ballet. Over 500,000 K-12 students have experienced educational performances through the Horizons Matinee Series. The facility boasts two all-purpose rooms for up to 120 guests for special receptions, dinners, or business meetings. A non-profit organization, the Young Auditorium has special benefits for Members; and discounts for groups. Special email offers and giveaways area available via free email updates from ArtsENews. www.uww.edu/youngauditorium Information: 262-472-4444 Tickets: 262-472-2222
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. For more information, please visit www.imls.gov.
Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, please visit www.artsmidwest.org.