Americans for the Arts Announces “Why Arts Matter” Video Contest Winners

Grand Prize Video To Be Broadcast on MTV Screen in Times Square

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Americans for the Arts Announces “Why Arts Matter” Video Contest Winners

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 26, 2010- Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit for advancing the arts, today announced the winners of its “Why Arts Matter” video contest:

From October 30 through November 6, the Starting Artists, Inc. video will be broadcast on the MTV 44 1/2 screen in Times Square. Americans for the Arts is also showing the winning submissions on its website: www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

Starting Artists, Inc. (SA) is a nonprofit organization located in Brooklyn, NY that benefits under-served middle and high school youth through hands-on training in the arts and entrepreneurship. SA’s after-school classes in media arts and business prepare and inspire teenagers to create arts-based enterprises. Several students had a hand in creating the grand prize- winning video.

Student Advocates for the Arts is a grassroots student organization dedicated to educating on and advocating for public policy affecting the arts in the United States. The mission of the organization is to empower and represent student voices to influence legislation and policy affecting the arts and public arts funding. Student Advocates for the Arts produced their video in collaboration with Sweet Victory, a New York production house. Six students were also involved in creating the winning submission.

Paige Malone is a high school senior in Manchester Center, VT. She started playing the acoustic guitar when she was 14 years old and added painting and acting to her artistic pursuits when she was 16. Paige plans to continue studying the arts in college and hopes to become an expressive arts therapist.

For the contest, Americans for the Arts asked people to celebrate the arts and show why they matter in their lives by creating a video that shared their inspirations and favorite art forms. The contest was held in conjunction with Americans for the Arts’ 50th anniversary.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

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