Otero Arts Festival

Visual Arts

All area students, grades 7-12, are also encouraged to enter the Otero Arts Festival Visual Arts Competition. Entries for the art contest will be accepted on Friday March 29th from 1-5 pm at the McDivitt Center Gym on the Otero College campus. Students may have one entry for each medium/technique with a maximum of six entries total per student. Entries must be labeled and hung per the guidelines. Refer to the entry documents listed below for details.

• Art Competition General Rules (2024)
• MS and HS Visual Arts Entry Form (2024)

Seniors wishing to compete in the Senior Portfolio competition are encouraged to complete the online registration to exhibit, as there is limited space available for portfolios. Deadline is Friday March 15th.

• Senior Portfolio Entry Rules and Entry Form (2024)

Creative Writing

Area students in grades 7-12 can enter the Creative Writing division of the Otero Arts Festival. Entries are accepted for the Creative Writing division through Friday, March 1. All poems, short stories, essays and creative books that are entered will be displayed in the Reading Room at the Student Center Rizzuto Banquet Room during the public viewing dates, April 2-4, 2024.

First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded in each of the three writing categories for grades 7 -12. A ribbon and award will be given for Best Representative Writing in middle school and in high school.

• Creative Writing Contest Rules and Format Pages (2024)
• Creative Writing Entry Forms (Middle School and High School–2024)
• Creative Writing Book Format and Rules (2024)

The Creative Writing contest continues to feature a winning high school senior portfolio. High School seniors are encouraged to enter a poem, short story and essay in the Senior Portfolio creative writing competition. The winner of the Senior Portfolio creative writing division will be awarded a scholarship to Otero College .

Entries are currently being accepted by mail at Otero Arts Festival Creative Writing, Macdonald Hall Room 110, 1802 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 or by bringing entries to Macdonald Hall Room 110 by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1, 2024.

Instrumental and Vocal Music Showcase

The 68th Otero Arts Festival will again include a music showcase to be held on Friday, April 5 at 9am-4pm in the Ed Stafford Theater, Otero College Humanities Center. Music was part of the original festivals until the 1970s. This will be our fifth year to bring back music. The purpose of the competition is to provide 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 Otero College Scholarship being awarded to the top senior (grade 12 graduating high school senior) competing in the Senior Division of all music entries instrument and vocal combined.

Students can prepare an instrumental solo piece and/or a piece for small ensemble (3 -5 members) or select a vocal solo piece to be performed. Each member of the Instrumental Small Ensemble MUST register separately with the same Title of Selection.

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Online registration will be available beginning March 1, 2024.

The contestant is responsible for accompanist, if needed; PRE-RECORDED TRACKS ARE ALLOWED WITH PROOF OF PURCHASE (original cd or paid invoice for downloaded music) OR ACCOMPANIST RECORDED MUSIC WITH SCHOOL PURCHASED PERFORMANCE RIGHTS SHEET MUSIC. SIGNED RELEASE REQUIRED AT CONTEST CHECK IN (Music Use Waiver Form, see below).

• Instrumental Music Showcase Guidelines & Registration (2024)
• Vocal Music Showcase Guidelines & Registration (2024)
• Music Use Waiver

Theatrical Competition

The Theatrical competition will be held on Monday, April 1 from 6pm to 9pm in the Ed Stafford Theatre, Otero College Humanities Center. The purpose of the competition is to provide an opportunity for young thespians to demonstrate his/her acting talent and love for theater. Ribbons will be awarded at all levels of the competition with an Otero College 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 5 minutes.
• Group Short Scenes – Selections can be from any genre. Group teams must have at least 2 and no more than 6 performers, and a maximum of 9 minutes in duration. Each member of a Group Short Scene MUST register separately with the same Title of Selection.

Note: Students may register through their school or independently, you do not have to be a current drama student to enter.

• Theatre Competition Guidelines & Registration (2024)