Creative 360 Announces Art Speaks Winners
Creative 360 Announces Art Speaks Winners
June 9, 2022, Midland, MI. – The Second Annual Art Speaks Poetry & Playwriting Festival brought over 100 actors, directors, poets and playwrights together to present premieres of original work. Writing pieces were submitted in May and adjudicated by published poets, playwrights and theatre professionals from all over the United States.
The judges selected the following winning pieces for 2022:
Best Poem: Shirley Temple by Aja Jade Philpot of Midland, MI
Best Ten Minute Play: I’ll Have What He’s Having by Antonio Vettraino of Troy, MI
Best One Act Play: The Red List by Arlo Welser of Midland, MI
Best Full Length Play: Nymphomaniacs Anonymous by Aja Jade Philpot of Midland, MI
The Tucker Polito Best Overall Award, named after the man who inspired the idea of Art Speaks, went to The Birdhouse by Emma Bowen of Sterling Heights, MI
“Art Speaks creates space to uplift voices,” said Art Speaks coordinator Laura Brigham. “We will continue to grow this program and offer artists in the Great Lakes Bay Region and throughout Michigan a platform from which to be heard.”
Creative 360 collaborated with Vanishing Elephant Players, a theatre company in Bay City, to offer a spot in their 2024 season for a fully realized production of the 2022 winning full length play. Some of the short plays from Art Speaks will be seen fully staged at Creative 360 in a 2023 production as well.
“I feel like there’s a moment in every artist’s life when they think ‘Holy cow I’m doing it right. This is what I’m meant to do,” said poetry and full length play winner Aja Jade Philpot. “For me, Art Speaks was that moment.”
The Third Annual Art Speaks will begin accepting submissions in April 2023 with performances in June. Writers can contact Brigham at Creative 360 for more information about Art Speaks.
