Alabama State Poetry Out Loud Winners

Arts in Education Program Manager Diana Green interviews the 2012 Winners of Alabama’s Poetry Out Loud Program. First place in Original poetry recitation went to Doris-Anne Darbouze from Auburn High School. Bonnie Chen, also from Auburn High School, received an Honorable Mention for her original poetry recitation. The Poetry Out Loud State Championship was awarded to Peggy Payne from Mooresville, Alabama. Peggy traveled to Washington DC to compete nationally with 52 other state champions, a Washington DC champion, and a champion from the Virgin Islands. Poetry Out Loud is a National Poetry Recitation Contest supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. The State Finals for the program are held in partnership with the Alabama Alliance for Arts Education and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where students perform on the Festival Stage in Montgomery. (more)

Alabama Arts Podcast, Patti Hendrix Lovoy executive director of VSA Alabama

Deputy Director, Barbara Edwards, interviews Patti Hendrix Lovoy, the Council’s 2011 Arts Administration Fellowship recipient.   The Council makes available each year a $5,000 Arts Administration Fellowship award.  This award is given to an arts administrator to improve his/her skills and ability to better serve his/her organization and the community.  Patti is the executive director of VSA Alabama.  In the interview, Patti talks about the impact of the professional opportunities afford her though the Arts Administration Fellowship award. (more)

Alabama Arts Podcast, Eldon Bryson musician and instrument maker from Mobile

Community Arts Program manager Deb Boykin interviews Eldon Bryson, a musician and instrument maker from Mobile.  Bryson, now 82, recalls his childhood in South Carolina, where he and his older brother often sang with Bill Monroe in the early days of bluegrass music. He recounts how a luthier  there taught him to repair old fiddles and shares some of his knowledge about fiddle-making.   He plays an original fiddle tune which he often performs when he and his band play each weekend at a Mississippi restaurant. (more)

Alabama Arts Podcast, Mary Ann Pettway, director of the Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective

Community Arts program manager, Deb Boykin talks with Mary Ann Pettway, director of the Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective. Ms. Pettway discusses the rich quilting tradition in her community and her experiences in learning from her elders and teaching a new generation through ASCA’s Folk Arts Apprenticeship program. Also a fine singer, Ms. Pettway is joined by Mary Lee Bendolph and Nancy Pettway to sing traditional gospel songs from Gee’s Bend. (more)

Alabama Arts Radio, Andrew Grace

Alabama Center for Traditional Culture Director Joey Brackner interviews University of Alabama film maker Andrew Grace about his new film, "Eating Alabama." (more)