Fine Arts
Arlington ISD is pleased to announce that Andrew Babcock has been named the executive director of fine arts. He had been the interim director since March, and previously served as director of the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, where he led programming and student experiences since August 2024. Babcock brings extensive experience at the…
Venture High School student Jayden Mata is starting the school year with a national honor! Mata was selected as a national finalist in the prestigious Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes “ArtEffect” competition. This competition challenges students across the country to research heroes who changed the course of history and bring their stories to life…
Arlington ISD has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s top school systems for music education, earning distinction in the 2026 Best Communities for Music Education awards presented by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. This is Arlington ISD’s 20th year to receive this recognition, placing the district among the highest and…
Thirty-seven high school artists were selected as Visual Arts All‑Staters through the Texas Art Education Association’s Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE). This distinction places them among the top young artists in Texas and recognizes their exceptional dedication to the visual arts.
For the first time in 64 years, the Rodriguez band (formerly Carter Junior High band) earned the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Sweepstakes Award, the highest honor a band can receive in Texas UIL music competitions. The achievement marks a defining moment for students, staff, and the entire Arlington ISD community.
Five Martin HS students earn All-State Six Arlington ISD students are hitting all the right notes – and earning one of the highest honors in Texas music education. Students from Arlington and Martin high schools have been named 2026 All-State Musicians by the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), placing them among the top 3% of high school musicians in the state.…
When piano and music theory teacher Jose Cubela teaches his students at the Dr. Marcelo Cavazos Center for Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), he brings an international perspective, having performed and taught abroad. Most recently, it was in Taiwan. Six cities, more than 1,500 students, and countless performances shaped last summer for Cubela. He spent…
Leah Mokiao among top 2% of student artists in Texas Sometimes a piece of art doesn’t just show a moment – it reflects something deeper. For Martin High School senior Leah Mokiao, that feeling came to life in her piece “Comfortably Numb,” a portrait that has now earned one of the highest honors in Texas…
Last Saturday was historic for Arlington ISD’s fine arts program. All six district high school marching bands earned top honors at the UIL Region 5 Marching Band Contests and advanced to Area contests, a feat achieved only five times since 2004. Advancement is based on receiving a “First Division” rating, an honor awarded for superior…
Mariachi Vaqueros a legacy of Sam Houston HS’ mariachi program Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for many to celebrate their cultural traditions with loved ones. For one Arlington ISD couple, it’s an opportunity to share the vibrant sounds of mariachi music with the world. Albert and Beatriz Becerra — an assistant principal at Speer…