The Institute for the Creative Arts, the new Performing & Visual Arts High School in Fort Smith announces its end-of-school-year Student Art Show & Reception. The event takes place Friday May 2 from 5-7pm at Bookish in the Bakery District of downtown Fort Smith. In its inaugural year, ICA enjoyed a year of great accomplishments by students enrolled in the School of Art & Design led by Director Ms. Rae Tedeton.
Student awards this year include:
Harper Babb-Corley – First Place in the State Beta Club for Digital Art.
Ashlyn Hicks – Selected for the Governor’s Young Artist Showcase
Riley Babb–Corley – Second Place for 9th grade Arkansas Wildlife Federation Art Contest and Second Place for 7th-9thgrade Arts on Main Student Showcase
KJ Atkinson – Honorable Mention for 7th-9th grade Arts on Main Student Showcase
Nevaeh Huetteman – Fourth Place at the Congressional Art Competition in northwest Arkansas
Harper Babb-Corley will be attending the National Beta Club in Orlando in June because of her award at State. Ashlyn Hicks’ selected work is currently on display at our Arkansas Governor’s Mansion, and Nevaeh Huetteman was personally greeted and received her award from US Representative Steve Womack. In addition, students in the art program at ICA have been out in the community at festivals, receptions, and serving our community through art projects, the largest of which was the mural recently painted by ICA students at the FAB LAB in Fort Smith.
Friday evening’s Student Art Show & Reception caps off a wonderful year of awards and activities. Art work in a variety of styles, genres, and mediums will be on display in an informal setting where folks can stop by, enjoy the art work, and meet the students and Director. You can also find our more about ICA and how to enroll for fall.
The Institute for the Creative Arts (ICA) is an immersive performing and visual arts high school that is tuition-free and open to all Arkansas students. The school combines a rigorous college preparatory academic program with pre-professional training in the arts including the areas of music, theatre, dance, visual art and film. It is the first of its kind in Arkansas and open to students entering grades 9-12.
In 2018 CSA embarked upon a campaign to build the Arkansas Center for the Creative Arts, a 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that will reach literally thousands of students and families in arts activities and serve as an anchor for the riverfront development in Fort Smith. The Center is located next to the United States Marshals Museum at 1101 Riverfront Drive. The Center houses all ICA as well as the Community School of the Arts after-school programs.
The School of Art & Design at ICA provides a very special program for high school students in this region and is open to all Arkansas students entering grades 9-12. The program focuses heavily on digital art with foundational elements including drawing and painting. Digital art begins with introductory classes leading to 2D, 3D design along with graphic design. This fall the program is adding animation, gaming, and film as well as mural design and painting. Student enrollment for ICA is ongoing with the Art & Design program almost doubling in enrollment to date. The program is a true “real world” experience for students led by professional teaching artists who are preparing students for a career in one of the many visual arts fields.
Registration for the high school is ongoing at icafortsmith.org or by calling 479-434-2114. Summer programs in digital art and mural design are also coming. Visit csafortsmith.org to register online for these programs.