For the past fifteen years, organizers for Cultural Crossroads’ annual Spring Arts Festival have included the celebration of various cultures both foreign and domestic. This year’s festival will focus on the art and culture of ancient Egypt. “Pharaoh’s Favorites” is the theme for this year’s festival slated for April 23-25th in Minden at ‘the farm.’ Special exhibits and activities will include a maze in search of King Tut’s tomb as well as an archeological dig for Egyptian treasures. And children will be encouraged to come in costume for a special costume contest worth money and prizes.
Youngsters will be encouraged to enter their art and poetry for competition in this area’s largest art show for children ages K-12. Handmade crafts will also be included for competition. Children interested in entering their creations for competition may enter up to three pieces of art, crafts or poetry. There is no entry fee. Ribbons and medals will be awarded the winners in each age division and each category. Nearly 200 children took home ribbons and medals at last year’s festival. All winning entries in art, crafts and poetry will count as valuable points towards the “Most Talented School” award. Entry forms will be available for pick at The Children’s Center beginning March 1st. Julie Vogel is the chairperson for this event and she may be reached at The Children’s Center at 318 377-0319.
The Great Talent Search will once again showcase the talent of parish children in the largest on stage competition in search of the “Most Talented School” and the “Most Talented Student.” Last year Richardson Elementary School took the honors of “Most Talented Elementary School” for the third year in a row. Minden High won “Most Talented High School” while Webster Junior High won “Most Talented Junior High School.” “Richardson Elementary will be the ones to beat,” states festival Chairperson, Chris Broussard. “Richardson Elementary has won more times than any other school in the parish. “They sponsor their own in house talent show prior to the festival and their art entries have always pushed them ahead of other schools. They were treated to special Arts In Education “We want to be Authors” activity this past month as part of their winnings. Their newly published book entitle “Believe” will be released for sale to the public at the festival in April.
Last year’s “Most Talented Student,” Janiece Roberts from Webster Junior High wowed the crowd with her ballet performance while Collin Jenkins from Shongaloo danced his way to a standing ovation and third place honors. First place honors went to another dance group that stunned the crowd with their precision. Abby Reynolds, Madeline Couch, Jordan Lary brought back top honors to Central Elementary School. And Holly Maynard’s second place honors put Harper Elementary School in the running for “Most Talented School.” But it was all the winning art entries that gave Richardson the lead over Harper.
The Great Talent Search will be held all day Saturday, April 25th. Open auditions for the opportunity to be included in the more than 35 performances will take place during the month of March. Details about the competition will be released to every student in Webster Parish later this month. Open auditions are expected to be held in each section of the parish so that every student will have an opportunity to present their talent. Points in the art, poetry and craft division as well as the performing arts division are combined to find the “Most Talented” in our parish. There is no entry fee for any of the various categories. Professional judges from outside the parish are contracted each year to provide fair and impartial results.
Ejay Colvin and Angelique Feaster are co chairing this event and can be reached at 318 518-4176 or 318 745-2787 respectively.
The movie industry has had such an impact on our area that a new program will be introduced to the various elementary schools in the area. Cultural Crossroads and the Robinson Film Center of Shreveport will be partnering to bring “Lights, Camera, Action” to third graders this year. Third graders from area Minden schools will be engaged in the scripting, set design, costumes and the filming of their own movie. They will spend the next several months working on their movie that will debut at this year’s Spring Arts Festival on Friday, April 25th. The movie will be shown on the Farm’s outdoor movie screen.
The Spring Arts Festival is funded in part each year by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council. For more information about the festival or Cultural Crossroads, visit their website at ww.artsinminden.com.
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