Terri Hedrick, public information officer for Vance County Schools, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the school systems’ upcoming Arts Alive! event. Arts Alive! is open to the public and will be held at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson on Saturday, April 27, 2019.
The third annual Vance County Schools event will showcase the talents of students in a variety of art forms including painting, drawing, dancing, singing and performance. All grade levels – from Pre-K to 12th graders – will be represented.
Parents, students, family members, educators and the community at large are invited to view over 200 pieces of student artwork that will be displayed in the McGregor Hall Gallery.
Jordan Lewis (left) and Anna Ventura (right), both students at Vance County High School, are shown wearing their Arts Alive! 2019 t-shirts and their Arts Alive! buttons. Jordan designed the artwork for the buttons and Anna designed the artwork featured on the t-shirts. (Photo courtesy VCS)
Andrew Markoch, director of the arts program for Vance County Schools, said viewers and audience members are in for a treat. “We are encouraging students to submit their best work and pushing the phrase ‘gallery quality.’ Some of the things I’ve seen have been absolutely incredible.”
In addition to the art gallery, approximately 20 performing acts ranging from large to small groups of vocalists, musicians, dancers and more will entertain on McGregor Hall’s stage beginning at 7 p.m. on April 27.
Tickets are available for purchase at McGregor Hall’s box office beginning at 3 p.m. the day of the event. Tickets for adults and children are $5 each; all seating is general admission.
New this year will be a series of “master classes” offered the morning of the event by Hill’s Music Shoppe, Ballet Arts All Stars and Wolf Trap Education.
Master classes are free of charge and will either be offered at McGregor Hall or at nearby facilities.
For more information on each class or to register, please visit the Vance County Schools website by clicking here. Information regarding the master classes is located near the top of the VCS homepage.
To help support VCS’ art programs and to spread awareness of the Arts Alive! event, t-shirts are on sale now through April 3 at all Vance County schools for $10. The purple shirt features a colorful, inclusive design created by Vance County High School junior Anna Ventura.
Ventura, who was interviewed as part of the Town Talk segment, said she wanted to represent all forms of art in her design – including drawing, music and dancing. “Art helps me express myself; you get better with practice and over time.”
Fellow VCHS student, Jordan Lewis, was chosen as the Arts Alive! lapel button design winner and said he has always enjoyed drawing as a form of expression and creativity.
Ventura and Lewis were among the many Vance County students who submitted their original artwork ideas for the t-shirt and button contest.
Other students completed an audition process for the evening performance portion of the event.
According to Markoch, all 15 Vance County public schools were represented in auditions with judges narrowing the field down to the final acts, representing nine schools.
To hear the interview with Terri Hedrick, Andrew Markoch and the VCHS students in its entirety, click here. The VCS segment begins at the 11:30 mark.
