Mercer County Teen Arts Festival Set for Friday

The 2015 Mercer County Teen Arts Festival will be held on Friday, May 13, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.

The Teen Arts Festival is a comprehensive arts education program open to all Mercer County public, private, parochial and home-school students in middle and high school, grades 6 through 12, ages 13 to 19.

“The great thing about this program is that every one is a winner in that remarkably talented young people have an opportunity to display their work to a wide audience and get positive feedback from professionals in the art world,” Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said.

The festival, under the direction of the Division of Culture and Heritage, spotlights the work of hundreds of Mercer County teen artists and involves scores of volunteers and more than 40 professionals serving as critics.

The festival will move to the gymnasium in the event of rain.

“Teen Arts is not a contest but an opportunity for young artists to develop the perceptual, intellectual and technical skills to create works of art,” officials said. “The focus of the festival is not on competition but participation in performance seminars, classes and workshops in art, dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music, film and creative writing.”

Visitors can view visual art pieces that are currently on display outside the gallery on the second floor of the Communications Building.