Fueling Creativity: Arkansas High Schoolers Invited to Join 2026 Arts Across Arkansas

If you know an Arkansas high school student with a passion for the arts, then be sure to encourage them to share their original talents through the 2026 Arts Across Arkansas program, a statewide program that recognizes and rewards creative student work.

This wonderful program is designed to encourage, enhance, and expand students’ original ideas, personal experiences, and artistic abilities while allowing them to be recognized for their creativity at the state level.

How the Arts Across Arkansas Program Works

Educators across Arkansas can nominate high school students to submit preliminary works in a variety of artistic media, including music composition, dance choreography, literary arts, visual arts, photography, and film. Teachers may nominate multiple students, and students are allowed to submit entries in more than one category.

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Teaching artists from the Arkansas Arts Council’s Arts in Education Roster will review submissions and select between five and 10 finalists in each medium.

Finalists will Receive Mentorship for the State Finals

Here's the great part about this program: the finalists will be paired with an Arts in Education teaching artist who will mentor them either virtually or in person. During this process, students can revise, edit, or completely rework their original submission as they grow creatively and develop problem-solving skills.

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The program ends with the state finals event that will be held in the spring. Students will be honored, and cash prizes awarded in each category. Students must be present at the finals event to qualify for prizes.

Arts Across Arkansas Important Dates and Guidelines

Educator nominations are due by 11:59 PM on January 5, 2026. Students who placed first last year are not eligible to participate this year. The Arkansas Arts Council does not accept submissions created directly or indirectly using artificial intelligence.

For more information, visit arkansasarts.org or contact Matt Boyce at matt.boyce@arkansas.gov