August 30, 2024

Good morning Visual Arts parents, guardians and students!

Make sure you are following us on Facebook and Instagram @btwvisualarts, and bookmark the Visual Arts Guild website. Join the Visual Arts Guild Remind by texting @btwvaguild to 81010.

Our first guild meeting will follow the PTSA on Tuesday, September 3. The PTSA meets at 6 p.m. in the Commons. We'll meet immediately following in room 170. We typically meet as a guild every other month and alternate our guild meetings with a social event. While last year's meetings were in person, we'd like to have virtual options this year. Let us know what you think!

The first show of the year is about to install. Studio Selections will feature the work of 10th-12th grade students selected by the conservatory faculty. The opening reception is Thursday, September 12 from 5-7 p.m. in the Hudson Gallery. It is free and open to the public so invite your family and friends to support our students.

If you would like to donate refreshments or volunteer during the reception, check out the sign up for details. Parents and students are welcome to volunteer!

If you are interested in sponsoring a reception, let us know. Reception sponsors will be promoted at the reception, on our website and social media, and in our email newsletter.

Design the "I Voted" sticker: All high school students are eligible to participate in the Dallas County Elections / March to the Polls contest to redesign the iconic sticker. Submissions are due at midnight September 10. Get the details on the Dallas County Votes website.

National Art Honor Society: 10th-12 grade students can apply for NAHS. Information on the application and important deadlines is coming soon.

YoungArts: The deadline to apply for YoungArts is Thursday, October 17 at 8 p.m. ET. Seniors - you must complete a YoungArts application to apply for a senior show.

North Texas Giving Day: The Visual Arts Guild is looking for students to provide testimonials we can use in our North Texas Giving Day campaign in September. Testimonials can be anonymous and should include a brief quote or story about support or resources you received from the guild. Email btwvisualarts@gmail.com for more information or to submit a testimonial.

Students can find additional information about contests, workshops and scholarships on the digital call board.

If you have experience fundraising for North Texas Giving Day or you're looking for a short but impactful volunteer opportunity, we have the job for you! North Texas Giving Day 2024 is Thursday, September 19. We're looking for a volunteer (or volunteers) to manage our NTXGD efforts leading up to and including September 19. You'll work with students to create testimonials and post on our social media throughout the day to help bring in donations. Email us for more information.

We also need volunteers and donations to support Portfolio Day on Monday, September 30. Representatives from more than a dozen colleges will be on campus to meet with students, review portfolios and discuss post-BTW plans. The Visual Arts Guild provides breakfast and lunch and hospitality to our guests and faculty. Volunteers will help set up, serve and clean up breakfast and lunch. See the sign up for all the details.

Every dollar donated goes directly to help support our faculty and students. If you would like to donate supplies, check out the faculty wish list on Amazon. Items purchased off the wish list can be shipped directly to school.

If you would like to make a monetary donation, visit our website to customize your donation and how you'd like to apply it - senior events, student support, communications or membership initiatives, teacher appreciation, or general fundraising.

If you haven't joined the guild for the 2024-25 school year, we hope you'll reconsider. Unlike the other conservatories, we do not have ticketed events so we rely on memberships and fundraisers to support our faculty and students. 

And membership has its benefits! 

Did you know that students of members can receive up to $150 grants per semester to help fund school projects or purchase supplies? And did you know that students of members are eligible for our $1500 senior scholarship? Membership in the Visual Arts Guild pays off - for you, your student, their classmates and our faculty!!! 

Check out our membership levels and join or renew today!

The All-School Musical hits the MAT stage September 11-15. Visit the PTSA website for information on tickets and promotional packages that include tickets, concessions and parking. You can also purchase an ad in the Playbill to support your favorite cast or crew member. 

Congratulations to the Visual Arts students who are supporting the production. And congratulations to Visual Arts senior Vic Ornelas whose artwork was selected for the Playbill and production merchandise.

You can find more information about Visual Arts events (marked with an * below) on the guild website. For information on school-wide events, check the school calendar or the PTSA website. Everyone who is a PTSA member or has an active Membership Toolkit account receives the weekly PTSA newsletter.

Visual Arts Guild at BTWHSPVA

2501 Flora St.

Dallas TX 75201