How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. Practice. Practice… Or win a National Scholastic Art & Writing Award!
This week, more than 800 students with their families and teachers, representing a total of 47 states, will travel to New York City to celebrate the national winners of the 2014 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards during National Celebrations, hosted by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. We were absolutely blown away by the outstanding talent of this year’s national winners (check out our recent feature on this year’s Portfolio Gold Medal artists) and what better way to honor them for their incredible accomplishments than with a special ceremony at iconic Carnegie Hall?
This year’s Carnegie Hall ceremony will feature special addresses by entertainer Nick Cannon, Emmy® Award–winning actor David Strathairn and artist Kay WalkingStick, who will receive the program’s Alumni Achievement Award. “It is important for kids today to have the freedom to express themselves and build confidence,” said Nick Cannon. “The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards empower students, giving them an outlet to show their passion for the arts and grow their individual talent. As a creative professional myself, I am inspired by each and every one of these students.” Be sure to join the live webcast on June 6!
From Carnegie Hall, to a Maker Prom to an exhibition grand opening and even seeing the Empire State Building lit in gold, it’s going to be an action packed Big Apple visit for the national winners. The 2014 National Celebration calendar of festivities includes:
- June 5 – The First-Ever Maker Prom: The Roosevelt Hotel will be transformed for this teen-only event that will mix dancing with interactive stations in line with the Maker Movement. Co-presented by the Alliance for Young Artist & Writers and Hive NYC, attendees will have the option to participate in fun activities such as creating sonic portraits and wearable tech at stations presented by World Up and Eyebeam, respectively.
- June 5 – June 14, Art.Write.Now. 2014 National Exhibition: More than 500 student works of art and writing will be professionally displayed at Parsons The New School for Design's Sheila C. Johnson Design Center and Pratt Manhattan Gallery beginning June 5. The free exhibit is open to the public and will feature rich programming, including the Saturday Student Showcase on June 7, complete with student readings, art presentations, film screenings and workshops. For location details and hours, visit http://www.artandwriting.org/student-showcase/art-write-now-2014-national-exhibition.
- June 6 – Awards Ceremony at the World-Famous Carnegie Hall: Atthe marquee event of the weekend, Nick Cannon will congratulate the winners and encourage them to continue in their creative paths, Emmy® Award–winning actor David Strathairn will read original poems written by the 2014 National Student Poets and Kay WalkingStick will receive the program’s Alumni Achievement Award. All graduating high school seniors will also take the stage for a bow, including the Portfolio Gold Medalists, the program’s highest honor, which includes a $10,000 scholarship for 16 graduating seniors. The ceremony can be viewed via live webcast on June 6th at 6:00pm ET and on replay at http://www.artandwriting.org/carnegiewebcast2014.
- June 6 – Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Benefit: This annual fundraising event will reflect on the 91st year of the program and the generosity of its benefactors. It will further honor student work while highlighting the importance of identifying exceptional creative teens and bringing their work to a national audience. The event will take place at The Edison Ballroom following the Carnegie Hall ceremony.
Be sure to keep an eye out for tributes to the Scholastic Art & Writing winners embedded throughout New York City’s landscape:
- June – A Gold Medal–winning photograph by Steven Paul, a high school senior from Brooklyn, will be painted on a larger than life scale on the side of a building. Expected to be completed on June 4, the painting will be on display at 111 Broadway on the corner of Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn thanks to a partnership between the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and Colossal Media, an industry leader in hand-painted outdoor advertising and large painted murals.
- June 6 – Two giant Times Square screens at 1515 Broadway will promote the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards every two minutes throughout the day, thanks to support from Viacom.
- June 6 – The iconic Empire State Building will shine its tower lights in gold to honor the talent of all national Award winners.
Congratulations to all 2014 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winners! We can’t wait to see you in New York City!
