Celebration of the Arts is an annual event at RHS that allows students from all disciplines of art to showcase their works to their peers and the public. This event requires a great deal of preparation and effort in order to display every student’s talent and artwork that they have been working on throughout the year. During Celebration the hallways, Campus Center, and art gallery are covered in works of art created by students. Throughout the day dancers, singers, actors, and musicians entertain the school community with open performances.
Mr. DaSilva is an RHS art teacher who runs the ceramics, jewelry, and digital photography electives. When asked to describe Celebration of the Arts in his own words, he said that “It is a combination of all the buildings of art projects throughout the year. It harvests the essence of hard work that was proposed throughout the whole school year by the artistic student body.” He also said that Celebration is unique from other school-wide events because it allows students to express themselves in the form of a massive exhibit. “It not only provides [for the public] artwork the students create, but also acts as a fusion of dance and music.”
Brigid Miniter, a junior whose works of artworks were displayed Friday, says she looks forward to it every year because “It inspires me to create even more art to prepare for it. It is also nice to be recognized by the rest of my peers. Art always puts a smile on my face and I hope that Celebration puts a smile on everyone else’s face. She also believes that Celebration of the Arts is one of the many things that makes RHS unique. “I don’t know of any other school that honors the arts as much as RHS. It brings the whole student body together and teaches them how to respect art in a fun and interesting way.”
This year’s celebration was quite the success. On May 30, the students involved with the event displayed their artistic abilities and performed to the best of their abilities. There were many vocalists performances from RHS’ own choral groups, including the Acabellas and Maroon Men. These performances also included individuals who sing outside of the school choir program. The performance artists that graced the stage not only came from New Players, but also from Act One and other great acting programs in the area. To top them all off, there were also many talented musicians who played in group and solo performances. Many of these performers are part of the RHS band and other musical programs the school has to offer.
Overall, the tremendous amount of practice, sweat, and effort each participant put into this year’s Celebration of the Arts created a spectacular display on stage and on gallery walls. It definitely spotlighted the incredible talent RHS students have and allowed the rest of the school to appreciate it. From solos to group performances, gallery showcases, and short film screenings, each talented individual had a chance to show off their talents with the entire school coming together to watch the artists and performers RHS has to offer to its community and beyond.
Jamie Lim
staff writer