Arts in Education

TEACHING ARTIST PROJECT (TAP)

TAP instagram

Mobile Arts Council has come together with Alabama Contemporary Art Center and Mobile Museum of Art to relaunch the "Teaching Artist Project". This project began in 2016 as a collaborative effort between our arts organizations to create a database of teaching artists who would become known as "floating faculty". Any artist interested in teaching their craft through education programming at any of our three organizations should fill out this form. All three entities will have access to the form once submitted.


Questions? Contact kat@mobilearts.org.

Amp Up Arts

amp up arts logo

Mobile Arts Council officially gained the title of "Collaborative Site" for Amp Up Arts in January, 2023. Amp Up Arts is a collective impact of the Alabama State Council on the Arts that focuses on the implementation of sustainable arts education for all K-12 public schools throughout the state. With their help, MAC will be searching for teaching artists in our area and training them through workshops and professional development opportunities to be able to effectively provide arts classes in Mobile County schools.


Interested in teaching with us? Fill out this form! We encourage teaching artists and organizations proficient in any and all mediums, including performance art, to apply! Interested in having Amp Up Arts work with your school? Then fill out this form! Email Kat Stoves at kat@mobilearts.org for additional information or to get involved.

Mobile Arts Council Announces Inaugural Mural Festival for September 12–13, 2026

June 23, 2026
Apply today to be a muralist in Mobile's inaugural mural festival, MobTown Mural Fest!

Applications Open for 2026 Annual MAC Member’s Show

May 6, 2026
Apply now for the 2026 MAC Member’s Show! Submit artwork by June 1st for a chance to win awards. Join us for the ArtWalk reception!
photography workshop led by Richard Dollison for Mobile Arts Council members

Members’ Cellphone Photography Workshop

May 5, 2026
Join our workshop to enhance your smartphone photography skills. Download Lightroom Mobile & Snapseed before attending!
May 2026 Exhibition Graphic Daniel Domenzain Kathleen Kirk Stoves

May: Daniel Domenzain & Kathleen Kirk Stoves

May 5, 2026
Explore Dan Domenzain's photography capturing authentic moments. Join us to celebrate community art and creativity!
Members' Mini MAC Gallery Cherrelle Jefferson Smith exhibition art show

Member’s Mini MAC Exhibition

April 28, 2026
Experience Cherrelle Jefferson Smith's untitled art at the Member’s Mini MAC Exhibition. Open 24/7 on Joachim Street, downtown Mobile.

April Organization Member of the Month

April 22, 2026
Celebrate Ron Barrett LLC as April's Member of the Month! Learn about their floral artistry & support for the Mobile arts community.

April Artist Member of the Month

April 21, 2026
Celebrate Phoebe Graham, our April Artist Member of the Month. Explore her impactful art and faith-driven journey today!

SHC + MAC Artist in Residency APPLICATIONS OPEN

April 17, 2026
Apply for the SHC + MAC Artist Residency. Enjoy studio space & lead workshops. Deadline: August 30, 2026.

Proud & Free Open Call for Queer Artists

April 16, 2026
Submit your work for the Proud & Free Open Call. Celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the arts. Join us today!

Art for All

The Mobile Arts Council, The Central Arts Collective, Full Life Ahead Foundation, and L'Arche Mobile are pleased to announce "Art for All," an inclusive arts education program for adults. The goal of the program is to bring people of all abilities together to express their creativity and develop their skills in a variety of arts media including acrylics, graphics, watercolors, and more. Biennially, framed works from Art for All, all created by students with developmental disabilities over a number of years, will be featured in our gallery with 100% of proceeds from these art sales will go toward purchasing supplies for Art For All‘s classes. Currently these works are available for purchase at Central Presbyterian Church.




If you are interested in volunteering or making a financial donation towards this program, please contact info@mobilearts.org. Coming soon: Art for All Dauphin Island!

art for all graphic

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have created Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, an innovative arts education program managed in partnership with the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA). Poetry Out Loud is a yearly national competition for high school students who are interested in poetry, creative writing, acting, and public speaking. Participants may go on to compete at regional, state, and final national levels. Since 2005, Poetry Out Loud has reached more than 3.6 million students and 55,000 teachers from 14,000 schools nationwide.


Each year, the Mobile Arts Council facilitates District 1 of Poetry Out Loud's Alabama Statewide Competition in partnership with ASCA. Categories include Original Poetry, Anthology Poetry, and the new Social Justice Poem competition. This program includes free professional development workshops for winner and runner-up competitors, performance training, and the Region 1 Competition. Unlike previous years, individuals are now eligible to compete independently of their schools.


In 2025-2026, Poetry Out Loud will focus on America250 in celebration of the 250th signing of the Declaration of Independence, featuring poems celebrating the rich tapestry of American history and culture. An updated online anthology is available this year, and replaces any earlier online or printed anthologies. Note: the anthology may have additional poems added through the month of October.


  • In addition to the updated anthology now available online, please note that for the 2025-2026 program, students can choose any three poems from the anthology. Students do not need to select a poem that is 25 lines or fewer or a pre-20th century poem.


The program is FREE! Participating teachers receive free materials, including a teacher’s guide, lesson plans, and access to audio-visual materials on the art of recitation. Each year, MAC hosts a free Region 1 Poetry Out Loud Workshop. Here, students will have access to poetry analysis, writing, and general competition info. Students will be given the opportunity to practice their poems in the competition space, so they can be as prepared as possible come competition day! The Region 1 Poetry Out Loud workshop will be January 24th, 2026 at the Ben May Main Library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can register here.


The Region 1 Poetry Out Loud competition will be held Saturday, January 31st, 2026 at the Ben May Main Library at 11:00 a.m. The deadline to register for the 2025-2026 Poetry Out Loud Region 1 Competition is January 24th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Register for the competition here.


The official website is www.PoetryOutLoud.org

Please visit it to explore all the resources available.

We look forward to signing YOUR high school up
for this wonderful program!!


If you would like yourself or your high school in Region 1 to participate, please contact Sydney at scramer@mobilearts.org or 251-432-9796 ext. 3. She will be glad to answer any questions. Information regarding the 2025-2026 competition should be updated no later than October 1st, 2025. Check back to this page for region-specific updates. These will be made available as soon as possible.

Recent POL News & Deadlines

2025-2026 Poetry Out Loud Competition Registration Open Now!

By Sydney Cramer • October 15, 2025
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is…

2024-2025 Poetry Out Loud Competition Registration Open Now!

By Sydney Cramer • October 9, 2024
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is…

Poetry Out Loud 2021-22

By Sydney Cramer • December 17, 2021
Every year Alabama high school students, grades 9th through 12th, are invited to participate in the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest. By performing poetry, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn more about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners…

Poetry Out Loud 2020-21

By Amber Swain • September 4, 2020
Alabama high school students, grades 9th through 12th, are invited to participate in the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest. By performing poetry, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn more about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to…
art for all graphic

Portrait of Quarantine #3 by Micah Mermilliod, Winner of Best of Show, FIVE competition, 2022

The "Five" Show

“FIVE” is a biennial juried exhibition of work by students from the area’s five colleges and universities. This exhibition gives young adults the opportunity to showcase their artwork in a professional venue, as well as a chance to meet other artists, win prizes, and gain public recognition. Prizes include cash, MAC Memberships, and gift certificates from local businesses. Entry is open to any student enrolled during the current academic year at Bishop State Community College, Coastal Alabama Community College, Spring Hill College, the University of Mobile, or the University of South Alabama. Students do NOT have to major in art or be taking art classes to participate. Submission deadlines and application will go live in early Spring every other year.


Winners received cash, gift certificates, and other prizes for courtesy of Lupercalia Art Society, Sophiella Gallery, Mobile Art Association, Mobile Arts Council, and Ashland Gallery.

Interested in participating? Email info@mobilearts.org to sign up for our Five email list!


View relevant articles regarding upcoming show deadlines, past winners, photos, and how to get involved in the links below.

Recent FIVE News & Deadlines

April: Biennial FIVE Competition

April 7, 2026
Join the Biennial FIVE Competition for student artwork. Submit pieces for a chance to win cash prizes & a free membership!

“FIVE” Biennial College Art Competition

By Sydney Cramer • February 19, 2026
The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) is delighted to sponsor the biennial Five show, a juried art competition including work from the five area colleges and universities – Bishop State Community College, Coastal Alabama Community College, Spring Hill College, University of Mobile, and University of South Alabama. Three monetary prizes will be awarded. Open to all…

FIVE Show Winners Awarded

By Sydney Cramer • April 14, 2024
MAC is delighted to announce the 2024 FIVE Show winners! These students’ works were picked out of 75 entries that had previously been juried into the exhibition. Thank you to all students currently exhibiting their work, and congratulations to this year’s FIVE winners. The FIVE Show will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room…

April: FIVE

By Sydney Cramer • March 27, 2024
Stop by MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 to shop in our gallery gift shop and to see our newest exhibition, the FIVE Show. The April exhibition series is sponsored by the Mobile International Airport and will be featured in the MAC Gallery through April 30th, 2024. “Five” is a biennial juried exhibition of work by…

Visual Arts Achievement Program and Young at Art

The Visual Arts Achievement Program, also known as VAAP, has been one of the premier secondary visual arts competitions in Alabama for more than thirty years.

After much consideration, the Alabama State Council on the Arts is retiring VAAP effective immediately. During the program’s tenure, hundreds of middle and high school students were celebrated for their talent and dedication to the art form. We know that this is sad news, but we hope you will find comfort in knowing that your students made VAAP one of the most successful visual arts competitions in Alabama — that achievement is something to be proud of.

Recent VAAP News & Deadlines

2025 Visual Arts Achievement Program & Young at Art

By Sydney Cramer • December 6, 2024
The Mobile Arts Council is now accepting entries for the 2025 District 1 Visual Arts Achievement Program and Young at Art! Those eligible for District 1 include public and private schools Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington counties. Every student who receives a District Award will be recognized in the State Awards from…

2024 Visual Arts Achievement Winners Announced

By Sydney Cramer • February 20, 2024
Every February, the Mobile Arts Council hosts the Visual Arts Achievement Program (VAAP) and Young at Art. VAAP is an arts in education program of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and it awards students in grades 6 through 12 that are participating in arts programs within their academic institutions. Young At Art is…

February: 2024 Visual Arts Achievement Program & Young at Art

By Sydney Cramer • February 8, 2024
The Mobile Arts Council is pleased to host the 2024 District 1 Visual Arts Achievement Program and Young at Art! Those eligible for District 1 include public and private schools Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington counties. Every student who receives a District Award will be recognized in the State Awards from the…

2024 Visual Arts Achievement Program & Young at Art

By Sydney Cramer • January 8, 2024
The Mobile Arts Council is now accepting entries for the 2024 District 1 Visual Arts Achievement Program and Young at Art! Those eligible for District 1 include public and private schools Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington counties. Every student who receives a District Award will be recognized in the State Awards from…