03/17/2026
🗣 The fourth annual Arts Across Arkansas event will kickoff at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Center for Humanities and Arts (CHARTS) Theatre at University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College at 111 1/2 Pine St. in North Little Rock.
More than 40 students selected as finalists for Arts Across Arkansas, a program designed to encourage, enhance and expand young creatives' artistic abilities and professional development, will compete for prizes. Students were nominated by teachers and selected by independent panels. High school students then worked with an Arts in Education Roster mentor in six categories. They will present their final projects during the State Finals. Come support !
2026 STATE FINALISTS ARE:
𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒎
Isabel Ross & Andy Kneebone - Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Short Skirt/Long Jacket”
Makenna Kutzschebauch – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Dead Woman Walking”
Gabe Guthrie & Layne Rickard – Hillcrest High School – “Nuttin’ Better”
Kira Marshall – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Oda La Jardinera”
Jhada Armstrong – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “The Endless Cycle”
Natalie Walker & Skyli Clark - Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Black Magic Woman”
Priya James - Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Loving Memories”
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒔
John Sullivan – Hot Springs World Class High School “Promise”
Aleksandra Bogan – Little Rock Central High School “Away to Lint Town”
Spencer Bryant – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Rough Days”
Cody Barton – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Weather”
Layla Cullipher – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Mana & Daniel”
Aelya Abram – Pine Bluff High School “I gave you all I had-“
Jordan Williams – Pine Bluff High School “The Reality of Overthinking”
Lexi Louden – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Overactive Imagination”
Kit Coletta – Brookland High School “Loved”
Caleb Grooms – Hillcrest High School “Tears of a Soldier”
𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
Ian Glasgow – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Piano Waltz No.1”
Corinna Phillips – Malvern High School “Late Nights”
Eli Gregory – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “After-image”
Matthew Carter – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Future Trunks”
𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒔
Charity Blaylock – Russellville High School “The anxious student”
Gabriella Calix – Arkansas Arts Academy “Still water in Ike”
Hudson Steele – Little Rock Central High School “Self Portrait No. 1”
Emma Cook – Flippin High School “Control”
Isabel Ross – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Factory Grit”
Shayla Stowe – Flippin High School “Liminal Spaces”
Zion Jackson – Little Rock Central High School “Identified”
Emily Kolb – Little Rock Central High School “Caroline”
Sincere Givens – Little Rock Central High School “Who Am I?”
Joci Peña – Hot Springs World Class High School “Road Trip”
Hannah Evans – Arkansas Arts Academy “Reminiscent”
Julianna Dishongh – Little Rock Central High School “Velcro to Laces”
𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒚
Elyse Young – North Little Rock High School “Need Me”
Anani Coleman – Hot Springs World Class High School “Let you Break My Heart Again”
TraYona McDaniel – Hot Springs World Class High School “Home”
John Sullivan – Hot Springs World Class High School “Spirit”
Amanda Springsteen – Hot Springs World Class High School “Behind the Fences”
Victoria Mitchell – Hot Springs World Class High School “Between Barre and Broadway”
Chloe Powell – Hot Springs World Class High School “Too Late”
Anabel Flores – Hot Springs World Class High School “Beneath the Steam”
Zaid Diaz – Hot Springs World Class High School “Book of Life”
Arabella Lampinen – Hot Springs World Class High School “Under the Same Gaze”
Savannah Tankersley – Hot Springs World Class High School ‘What the Earth Still Holds”
𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒚
Scott Hansen – Arkansas Arts Academy “Lights Over Lake Shawnee”
Lexi Louden – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Blondie-Blue”
Priya James – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Bambi”
Eli Gregory – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts “Perspective No. 1”
Emery Arnold – Brookland High School “Greener Grass Ahead”
Isabella Ward – Star City High School “Into the Spotlight”
Jada Roberts – Hillcrest High School “Big Wheel”
Michael Clark - Hillcrest High School “Surprise!”
Ricardo Garcia Caballero – Star City High School “Dreaming Upward”
Lily Burleson - Hillcrest High School “Me in My Shadows”
