Past Events
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December | January '07| February | March | April
Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam IV
Last chance to qualify for the finals!
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, #D-200
$5 cover • students with i.d. & kids under 12 free
Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slamoff
Determines which 4 poets go to NYC!
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, #D-200
$10 cover • $5 students with i.d. • kids under 12 free
(Fundraiser to get Team Austin to NYC)
Click here for full press release!
With Special Guests:
D-Madness and
Bavu Blakes
The Five Borroughs Subway Spoken Word Showcase
Neo Soul Poetry Lounge
Antonio's Tex Mex
I-35 South @ Hwy 183
A showcase fundraiser featuring Austin Under 21 Slam Team and the poets of Neo Soul
For more info email Herman Mason.
April 6, 9 pm
College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational
LBJ Student Center, Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
The Austin Under 21 Slam Team will open the national collegiate slam.
Donations will be accepted after their performance
For more info email Sarah Uphoff.
April 16, 7 pm
SLAMBOWL 2006!
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress
Come Out and Witness the Ultimate Contest of Words!
The second annual team up bout & Fundraiser between the Under 21 Team and the Pros!
Cover: $10, $5 – students with i.d. and under 12
Under 21 Slam Team vs. Austin Poetry Slam vs. Neo Souldiers
For more info email Ron Horne or call 512.632.5033.
April 22, 2:30 pm
The Mano E Mano Slam!
Featuring Team Austin 2006
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, #D-200
Austin’s Sumo Battle of Youth Slam Poetry! A Head to Head Team Bout, Haiku Death Match & Fundraiser to get the Austin Under 21 Slam Team 2006 to NYC for the Nationals!
Cover: $10, 20yo and under - $5
For more info email Ron Horne or call 512.632.5033.
Voices of the Nation Individual Youth Poetry Slam!
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Ste. D-200
Austin will be exploding with poetry in August with the arrival of hundreds of poets here for the National Poetry Slam. But, it's not only the adults who will be lighting up the scene. The hottest youth poets from Austin and cities nationwide will compete for cash prizes and the title of Voices of the Nation Champion! The Texas Youth Word Collective kicks off its Austin Under 21 Poetry Slam Season with a back to school event you won't want to miss. The Slam will be hosted by two time Austin City-Wide Under 21 Slam Champion, Shannon Leigh, with music by City-Wide resident spinner, DJ F. Scott.
Cover: $10 adults, $5 students with i.d. Free for children five and under. Free for Nat'l Poetry Slam partipants.
For more info email TYWC or call 512.632.5033.
Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam
click here to download flyer
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Ste. D-200
We’re Back!!!
Texas Youth Word Collective’s third season of the Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam arrives full blast on Sunday, October 8, 2006 at 7pm at Ruta Maya World Headquarters, 3601 S. Congress Ave.
The new season brings in some of the old (great writing and performances by some of Austin’s most talented young writers) and some things new (rules regarding greater participation as well as group piece showcases and youth writing workshops directed by one of the best spoken word artists in the nation, Brian Francis of the Neo Soul National Slam Team.
Please make sure to look at the New Rules for team qualifications.
With new twists, new turns, and new teens, this year is sure to produce some memorable performances that inspire youth of ALL ages.
In the past four years, the Texas Youth Word Collective’s Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam has resulted in teams of youth taken by TYWC to perform before and astound national and international audiences in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. 2004 (San Francisco) Austin Under 21 Slam team member Chris “Gator” Ockletree performed in the Midwest before thousands this summer at the Latin Music Festival with Latin Grammy winner Romulo Garcia. Two time Austin Under 21 Slam Champion Shannon Leigh (Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco) will be featuring on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam this season. These and other youth poets, having performed in the City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam, have gone on to pursue college careers across the country, teach in Austin’s public schools, and create theatre and improv companies in cities throughout Texas. A night at the City Wide is a preview of greatness to come.
We really hope to see to see you at the inaugural Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam of the 2006-2007 season!
Cover: $10 adults, $5 students with i.d. Free for children five and under. Free for Nat'l Poetry Slam partipants.
For more info email TYWC or call Ron Horne, Co-Director, 512.632.5033 or Dr. Sheila Siobhan, Co-Director, 512-422-6653
Young Poets, Teachers, and Parents:
The Texas Youth Word Collective proudly offers the first of what we hope to be many opportunities for the youth of Austin to explore and improve their creative writing skills. On Sunday, November 12 at 4pm, Brian Francis, the 2006 Neo Soul Poetry Slam Champion and member of Neo Soul’s first ever National Poetry Slam team (2nd in the nation out of 75 other cities!) will host a free writing workshop teaching youth how to write group poems.
Brian knows a little about workshops and group poems. Since the inception of the Neo Soul Poetry Lounge three years ago, he has been holding weekend writing workshops for the regulars of Neo Soul. These workshops have spawned some of the best spoken word artists in the country (K.A. Williams, Ft. Worth, NPS Champions 2005; Tre Stetper, Corpus Christi 2002, Austin 2005; Michelle Desiree, Joe Brundidge, and Kim Taylor, Austin Neo Soul 2006). This year’s Neo Soul National Slam Team developed more than 20 group poems during 42 practice sessions over a 3 month period. Their hard work on both the writing and the performance resulted in the Neo Soul team nearly winning the National Poetry Slam on their first try.
We feel very fortunate to have Brian offer his time, talent, and experience to the young writers of Austin. The purpose of these workshops is to help participants in the Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam fulfill the criteria for performing in one of the Group Piece Showcases we will hold later in the season. This workshop, however, is open to all youth interested in writing whether it’s poetry, rap or stories. And the best part . . . it’s FREE!!!
So, break out your notebooks and journals and bring your creative juices to the first Texas Youth Word Collective Group Piece Writing Workshop by the renowned spoken word artist, Brian Francis. For a spot in the workshop, email us by November 8, 2006 with an RSVP to u21slam@yahoo.com
November 26th, 6 pm
Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam II
ADMISSION:
$10 adults, $5 students with i.d., free for children
under 5 and slam participants
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
CONTACT:
Ron Horne (512) 632-5033, Co-Director
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653, Co-Director
E-Mail
www.txywc.org
The top four poets of the season this year will win an
all expense trip to San Jose, California!
The turkey will be a skeleton. Hopefully, what’s left
of the green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and fruit
cake will all be out at the curb. After getting your
fill of food and football, we invite you to finish off
the Thanksgiving weekend with some hot youth poetry
for dessert (kinda like mom’s apple pie). Texas Youth
Word Collective's third season of the Austin City Wide
Under 21 Poetry Slam continues full steam ahead on
Sunday, November 26, 2006 at 6pm at Ruta Maya World
Headquarters, 3601 S. Congress Ave.
The new season has returned some of the old (great
writing and performances by some of Austin's most
talented young writers) and introduced some things new
(rules regarding greater participation as well as
group piece showcases and youth writing workshops
directed by one of the best spoken word artists in the
nation). The first City Wide this season included
poets from Bastrop, Cedar Park, Austin, Hendrickson,
LBJ, Westwood, Pflugerville, and St. Stephen’s
Episcopal High Schools, and Austin Community College.
The first three qualifiers for the semi-finals are
Ruby Wilmann and Colleen Mayo (LBJ) and Brent
Caballero (Hendrickson).
Participants in the City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam
have represented Austin at the Brave New Voices
International Youth Poetry Slam Festivals in Chicago,
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.
Click here to see the highlights of our first
Group Piece Writing Workshop
With new twists, new turns, and new teens, this year
is already off and running! Come see what all the
excitement is about!
Click here to download flyer
Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam III
ADMISSION:
$5 cover, free for slam participants
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
CONTACT:
Ron Horne (512) 632-5033, Co-Director
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653, Co-Director
E-Mail
www.txywc.org
Before the hustle of the holiday season takes over,
why not grab the chance to sit back and be
entertained, inspired and thrilled by some of the
Austin area’s finest young spoken word artists? Texas
Youth Word Collective's third season of the Austin
City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam continues its 2006-2007
season on Sunday, December 10th, 2006 - 6pm, at Ruta
Maya World Headquarters, 3601 S. Congress Ave.
(Please note newly reduced cover charge and earlier
start time.)
This season is already off to a fantastic start with
students from schools across the Greater Austin area
including Bastrop, Cedar Park, Austin, Hendrickson,
LBJ, Westwood, Pflugerville, and St. Stephen’s
Episcopal High Schools, as well as Austin Community
College. As of the second slam, the following youth
have qualified for the semi-final competition coming
up later this spring: Ruby Willmann and Colleen Mayo
(LBJ H.S.), Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.),
Margaret Olsen (Cedar Park H.S.), and Shaina and
Deelyte (Pflugerville H.S.).
The audience was treated to an all-girl slam last
month and Pflugerville came on strong with two poets
qualifying for the semi-finals. For the first time in
three years, the Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam
saw its first 14 year old qualifier – Deelyte from
Pflugerville. This is a clear sign that the
competition is getting better, tougher, and younger.
Participants in the City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam
have represented Austin at the Brave New Voices
International Youth Poetry Slam Festivals in Chicago,
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. The top
four poets of the season this year will win an all
expense trip to San Jose, California!
Come to the Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam and
see where the future is headed!
Click here to download flyer
Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam #4
ADMISSION:
$5 cover, free for slam participants and under 5
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
CONTACT:
Ron Horne (512) 632-5033, Co-Director
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653, Co-Director
E-Mail
www.txywc.org
Hosted by Matthew John Conley (National Haiku Slam
Champion 2005, Coach of the Austin Under 21 Slam Team
2005)
Special James Brown Tribute by DJ F. Scott
Happy New Year Austin!!! Enjoying some of the area’s finest young spoken word artists is a great way to start off the year! Texas Youth Word Collective's third season of the Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam continues with Slam #4!
This fourth slam is sure to be an exciting show with our host Matthew John Conley (2005 National Haiku Slam Champion and Coach of the 2005 Austin Under 21 Poetry Slam Team). In honor of the late, great James Brown, our resident DJ F Scott plans to do a special tribute with songs by the hardest working man in the business as well as songs which sample his mountain of hits.
The season is already off to an exciting start with students from schools across the Greater Austin area including Bastrop, Cedar Park, Austin, Hendrickson, LBJ, Westwood, Pflugerville, and St. Stephen’s Episcopal High Schools, as well as Austin Community College joining in the competition. With three slams behind us, the following youth have qualified for the semi-final competition later this spring: Ruby Willmann and Colleen Mayo (LBJ H.S.), Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.), Margaret Olsen (Cedar Park H.S.), Shaina, Sheenika “D-Lyte” Medard, and Pravda (Pflugerville H.S.), Shay (Reagan H.S.), and Cora Lee (Austin High).
Participants in the City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam have represented Austin at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festivals in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. The top four poets of this season will win an all expense trip to San Jose, California and compete against over two hundred youth poets from across the United States and England!
The poetry is getting hotter each and every month so don’t let another one pass you by!
Come to the Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam and see what the excitement is all about!
Click here to download flyer
Shannon Leigh will be appearing on HBO's Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Jam.
The 2007 Youth Poetry Powerhouse Slam
PLACE:
The Belmont, 305 W 6th, Austin, 78701
Cover Charge: $10
HOSTS:
State Rep. Mark Strama, Mayor Will Wynn, and
Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton.
This is a very special event thanks to our powerhouse team of hosts/sponsors of this event: State Rep. Mark Strama, Mayor Will Wynn, and Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton. Mark Strama is a huge supporter of youth initiatives in general (MTV's Rock the Vote) and the City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam in particular (brought former The View star Lisa Ling to our finals slam last year). Will Wynn is well known as an animal for slam and a huge supporter of both the youth and adult poetry slams (opened last years National Poetry Slam here in Austin). Last but not least, Greg Hamilton is a huge supporter of youth slam and sees it as an important part of providing positive activities for the youth of Travis County.
These gentlemen are putting their words into action by sponsoring this fundraiser to help the Texas Youth Word Collective continue to do its work in the community. This event will feature a mini youth poetry slam by some of the best youth poets past, present and future, to come through the City Wides, and music by the City Wides' resident DJ, DJ F. Scott. This is sure to be a hot, hot, hot event, showcasing powerful young voices of the future and the money raised is for a good cause: creating venues for youth to express and develop their writing talents. This show is a definite "don't miss".
For more information contact:
Dori Glanz - 512.463.0821
Office of State Rep. Mark Strama
dori.glanz@house.state.tx.us
Ron Horne & Dr. Sheila Siobhan, Co-Directors
Texas Youth Word Collective
u21slam@yahoo.com
Thelma Barraza - 512.974.2147
Office of Mayor Will Wynn
thelma.barazza@ci.austin.tx.us
Jeannie Maldonado - 512.854.9788
Office of Sheriff Greg Hamilton
jeannie.maldonado@co.travis.tx.us
LAST TWO QUALIFYING CITY-WIDE SLAMS
March 10th, 2007, 7 pm
Mitchie’s Fine Black Art and Gift Gallery,
Mitchie Memorial Slam Scholarship Benefit Against Drunk Driving
Mitchie, a three year old in 1989, was severely injured in a drunk driving accident when he was being returned home from visitation. He died this year on January 28, 2007 at the age of 17. As a direct result of the crash, Mitchie suffered a broken back, ruptured lower intestines, ruptured colon, ruptured spleen and pancreas, a broken right femur, massive contusions on his buttocks and other areas of his body, undergoing more than 100 operations and spending more than 1000 days in hospitals for surgeries and treatments.
However, neither he nor his mother, Joyce Hunt (owner of Mitchie’s), let that stop them from becoming activists against drunk driving. As a result of both of their work, one Texas Supreme Court case and four new laws against drunk driving were born, proof that we all can make a change for the better despite our circumstances.
Joyce has created a scholarship fund for students of victims of drunk drivers and a portion of the proceeds from the Mitchie Memorial Slam will go to the Mitchie Memorial Scholarship Fund to award a scholarship this May to a graduating high school senior. We really hope that you will attend this very special City Wide Under 21 Slam event and that youth, the primary victims of drunk driving, will lend their voice to this show. Again this is one of the last two qualifying slam to get into the Semi-Finals to make the team that goes on the all expense paid trip to San Jose, CA.
To learn more about Fred L. "Mitchie" Mitchell
Click here.
Click here to download the 2007 Season Flyer
March 31th, 2007, 5 pm
This is THE LAST qualifying slam toward making the Austin Under 21 Slam Team.
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
CONTACT:
Ron Horne (512) 632-5033, Co-Director
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653, Co-Director
E-Mail
www.txywc.org
Click here to download the 2007 Season Flyer
April 14th, 2007, 2 pm
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
A featured event of the Austin International Poetry Festival.
Click here to download the 2007 Season Flyer
Click here to see the 2007 Slam-off Poster
April 21th, 2007, 5 pm
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
Cover: $10 adults, $5 students, under 5 free
Contact: Ron Horne (512) 632-5033 or
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653
Texas Youth Word Collective
email: u21slam@yahoo.com
Like the wide world of sports, the Austin Under 21 Slam Team has spanned the globe from Chicago to Lost Angeles, San Francisco, & New York City. Next they’ll take on San Jose, California!
The third season of the Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam is nearing its end. Next Saturday brings the most exciting event of the year – The Slam Off - where 8 poets will compete for 4 spots on a team that will represent Austin at the 2007 Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival and Slam, this year in San Jose, California.
The 8 youth poets moving on to the finals are:
Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.)
Ruby Willmann (LBJ H.S.)
Cora Lee (Austin H.S.)
Jonathon “Korim” Sterling (graduate of Stony Point H.S.)
Shay (Reagan H.S.)
Pravda (Pflugerville H.S.)
Shaina Craig (Pflugerville H.S.)
Margaret Olsen (Cedar Park H.S.)
These young people will inspire you, move you, and leave you knowing that the future will be in very good hands. Alumni from previous Austin Under 21 Slam Teams have gone on to start their own theater companies, music labels, feature in SXSW (Public Offenders), and one hit the big time performing on HBO Russell Simmon’s Def Poetry Jam this season.
Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton will be joined by other surprise celebrity judges. Music will be provided by the City Wide’s resident spinner, DJ F. Scott and the “Half-Time Show” will feature none other than Austin’s hottest new recording artists, “Public Offenders”!
This is a show that you DO NOT want to miss. Come see the brilliance of Austin’s youth and a great evening of music at the 2007 Austin Under 21 Slam Off. Proceeds from the Slam Off will help get the top four poets to San Jose to compete, commune, and network with over 300 other teenage writers and thinkers from across the country and around the world.
The Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam is sponsored by the Texas Youth Word Collective, a non-profit youth literacy program (www.txywc.org). This project is funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.
FINAL SLAMOFF!!!
May 26th, 2007, 5 pm
SLAMBOWL 2007
$10 adults, $5 students with i.d.
children under 5 free
Team Austin 2007 Faces Off Against Adult Slam Teams! - Fundraiser
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
What do you get when you take sixteen poets, put them on four teams, and let them spar with creativity and words? Come find out at the Ultimate Contest of Words! The best of the Austin area’s spoken word artists team up for the third annual team bout and fundraiser between the Austin Under 21 Slam Team, Neo Soul Poetry Lounge, the Austin Poetry Slam, and the Under One Roof Slam of Killeen. Added into the mix will be Knowtorious 13 gracing the stage as host, with music provided by resident DJ F. Scott. This is a show you won't want to miss!
The Slam Bowl brings together adult and youth poets in a fundraiser to help get the Austin Under 21 Slam Team out to the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in San Jose, California this July where they’ll compete against teams from across the United States and England. This year’s Austin Under 21 Slam Team members include Team Champion Shay Harris (Reagan H.S.), Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.), Ruby Willmann (LBJ H.S.), and Jonathon “Korim” Sterling (graduate of Stony Point H.S.). The Slam Bowl will also serve as the release party for the 2007 Austin Under 21 Slam Team CD.
This event is sponsored by the Texas Youth Word Collective, a non-profit youth literacy program (www.txywc.org).
This project is funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division & by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.
R.A.P.- Rhythm and Poetry: Returning the Words to the Drumbeat
Saturday, June 30th, 3-6 pm
$10 adults, $5 students with i.d.
children under 5 free
PLACE:
Ruta Maya World Headquarters
3601 S. Congress, Austin, Texas
Summer time . . . hot streets. Spoken word . . . drums, beats. On June 30th, both meet as the Texas Youth Word Collective presents R.A.P.- Rhythm and Poetry: Returning the Words to the Drumbeat at Ruta Maya World Headquarters, 3601 S. Congress Avenue from 3pm – 6pm. Wisdom of the ages flow from teen sages, this year’s Austin Under 21 Poetry Slam team. They’ll be joined by streams of rhythmic percussion from Drum Jam, second rounders in FameCast. Resident DJ F. Scott brings the scratch full blast. Words will fly fast and furious, as will beats and licks, rhythm and rhyme do tricks that speak the truth, inform the soul. All with the goal of raising funds to help a group of young writers compete in a sea of minds. Giving their finest performances they'll share their wordcraft and meet their kind at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in San Jose in mid July. We told them the sky was the limit. Come see them prove it; add Drum Jam’s unique music, use it for inspiration to the heart. Help these Austin youth reps depart on a journey that all can enjoy.
The 2007 Austin Under 21 Slam Team will be the fifth team to represent Austin on the international stage (previous teams have demonstrated their skills in New York , San Francisco , Los Angeles , and Chicago . These four poets have been chosen by the people of Austin from students competing from high schools across the Greater Austin area including Bastrop, Cedar Park, Austin, Pflugerville, Manor, San Marcos as well as Austin Community College. Shay Harris (Reagan H.S.), Ruby Willmann (LBJ H.S.), Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.), and Jonathon "Korim" Sterling (graduate Stonypoint H.S.) will compete against over two hundred youth poets from across the United States and England. You can see what all the excitement is about come June 30th!
The Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam is funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Tuesday, July 10, 7pm
PLACE:
Barnes & Noble
321 NE Loop 410, Ste. 104 (S.A.)
Friday, July 13, 7pm
PLACE:
La Tazza Fresca
37th & Guadalupe, Austin
Sensory Explosion Bon Voyage Party
Saturday, July 14, 5pm
PLACE:
Ruta Maya
(Bon Voyage Fundraiser!)
Adults- $10, Youth- $5, Children 5 and under-free
Question: What do you get when you mix spoken word with tap dancers, a blind, one man funkmaster playing the bass, drums, and keyboard simultaneously who can only be described as a Stevie Wonder on steroids, and a hip hop DJ that will mix James Brown and Mozart in a heart beat? You get the Sensory Explosion Bon Voyage Party for the Austin Under 21 Poetry Slam Team as they prepare to take on the world at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in San Jose. This show will not only feature this year’s team, incredible by all accounts, it will also feature tapper extraordinaire Jason Jonas, the phenomenal musical wizard, D-Madness, and our own resident turntable magician, DJ F. Scott. This is a farewell party you will long remember!
The 2007 Austin Under 21 Slam Team will be the fifth team to represent Austin on the international stage (previous teams have demonstrated their skills in New York , San Francisco , Los Angeles , and Chicago). These four poets have been chosen by the people of Austin from students competing from high schools across the Greater Austin area. Shay Harris (Reagan H.S.), Ruby Willlmann (LBJ H.S.), Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.), and Jonathon "Korim" Sterling (graduate Stonypoint H.S.) will compete against over two hundred youth poets from across the United States and England.
This is our last fundraiser before Team Austin takes off for San Jose on July 17th and we need all of you to help give them a big sendoff (and help get them there!) at the Sensory Explosion Bon Voyage Party!
The Austin City-Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam is funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.