65th Otero Arts Festival Online Registrations Open

Description: The 65th Annual Otero Arts Festival call for entries includes art, music and theatrical by all students’ grades 7-12. Visual art with entries being accepted on Friday, March 26 from 1 - 5 p.m. in the OJC Student Center Rizzuto Banquet Room.


Published: 03/01/2021
Byline: Hart

65th Otero Arts Festival Online Registrations Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…………………………………………………March 1, 2021

LA JUNTA — The 65th annual Otero Arts Festival invites all students grades 7-12 to participate in a juried visual arts festival, theatrical and music competition. Entries are free and open to all area students’ grades 7-12.

The online registration for the Visual Arts Senior Portfolios is now available. Senior Portfolios compete for both OJC Scholarships, display place ribbons and several other awards. Senior Portfolios must have at least three different media, a maximum of 12 works of art, minimum eight. Seniors entering a portfolio must arrange their own exhibit without assistance from friends, parents, or teachers during the hours of 1 - 5 p.m., Friday, March 26. Seniors may request to setup on Thursday, March 25, 3 - 5 p.m. via email if they have a school event on Friday to Debbie.Phillips@ojc.edu. All senior artists are encouraged to enter. Students do not have to be currently participating in art at their school. Visual Arts Senior Portfolio registration deadline is Friday, March 12, 2021.

The Theatrical Competition will be held on Monday, March 30 from 6 - 9 p.m. in the Ed Stafford Theatre, OJC Humanities Center. The purpose of the competition is to provide an opportunity for young thespians to demonstrate their acting talent and love for theater. Ribbons will be awarded at every level of the competition with an OJC Scholarship being awarded to the top senior actor (grade 12 graduating high school senior).

Categories include: Monologues - Works performed by one person only. No other actors will be permitted on stage, even if they are silent in the performance. Monologues will be limited to a maximum of five minutes. Group Short Scenes - Selections can be from any genre. Group teams must have at least two and no more than six performers, and a maximum of nine minutes in duration. Each member of a Group Short Scene must register separately with the same Title of Selection.

Students may register through their school or independently, you do not have to be a current drama student to enter. Theatrical competition online registration deadline is Wednesday, March 24.

Otero Arts Festival has revised the Instrumental Music Contest for this year’s festival. Open to all Middle School students grades 7 & 8 (Junior Division) and High School students grades 9-12 (Senior Division). Students can compete in two categories: Solo and Small Ensembles, three to five members with performance time between three and eight minutes. Contestant is responsible for an accompanist if needed, piano will be provided, and must provide three copies of music for judges. The music contest to be held on Tuesday, March 31 at 6 p.m. in Ed Stafford Theatre. Music was part of the original festivals until the 1970s. This will be our third year to bring back music. The competition provides an opportunity for young musicians to demonstrate their musical talent and love for music. Ribbons will be awarded at each level of the competition with an OJC Scholarship being awarded to the top senior (grade 12 graduating high school senior) competitor.

Students can prepare a solo piece and/or a piece for small ensemble (three to five members) to be performed. Each member of a Small Ensemble must register separately with the Title of Selection. 

Students may register through their school or independently, you do not have to be a current band student to enter. Music competition online registration deadline is Wednesday, March 24.

Online Registration for the Visual Arts Senior Portfolios, Theatrical and Music Contests along with forms and detailed information about the 65th Otero Arts Festival are available on the Otero Junior College website at: https://www.ojc.edu/OteroArtsFestival.aspx

Public viewing of the visual art and creative writing show to begin on Tuesday, March 29 at 8 am. The exhibit will remain open to the public through April 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and then again at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is no cost for admission to the exhibit. The public is invited to visit the show and view the outstanding work the students. Appropriate social distancing and masks are required for admission. Parents, teachers and friends are invited and encouraged to attend the competitions.

For more information contact Debbie Phillips at Debbie.Phillips@ojc.edu

About Otero Junior College

Founded in 1941, Otero Junior College is located on an attractive 40-acre campus on the southern edge of La Junta, Colorado. The mission of Otero Junior College is to provide a quality higher education that is accessible, transforms lives, expands employment opportunities, enriches communities, promotes individual and global cultural diversity, and fosters economic development.

Otero Junior College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is member of the Colorado Community College System. OJC offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees for students who plan to transfer on to four-year bachelor degree programs. The College also offers numerous workforce ready degrees and certificates that prepare students to enter the workforce within one or two years.

Otero is a full-service campus offering on-campus student housing and dining services. Students have the opportunity to receive both an outstanding academic education and experience the amenities of a large university with 12 intercollegiate athletic sports and numerous student-life clubs, organizations and events.



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