fine arts
Arlington ISD’s theatre program has earned top honors in Texas. The Texas Educational Theatre Association (TxETA) has awarded Arlington ISD its highest distinction, Exemplary, through its District of Distinction Award program. This marks the first time Arlington ISD has received this honor, recognizing the strength and success of theatre education throughout the district. The recognition…
At first, it was simply a dream. Then, one acceptance email changed the tune of Issac Jorgensen’s future. This past summer, the Lamar High School senior was selected for the highly competitive Juilliard School Summer Music Program in New York City. One of just over 100 high school musicians selected from 25 countries, Jorgensen spent…
The sound of more than 1,000 musicians filled the air on Monday night at Glaspie Field as Arlington ISD celebrated the Dean Corey Marching Extravaganza. The 44th annual event featured the district’s six high school marching bands and the University of Texas at Arlington marching band. For the high school musicians, it was an opportunity…
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…
Arlington ISD is tapping a proven leader to guide its fine arts programs forward. Andrew Babcock has been named interim Director of Fine Arts. He currently serves as director of the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, where he has led programming and student experiences since Aug. 1, 2024. Babcock brings extensive experience at the…
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…
For Martin High School visual art teacher Sharon Miller, it was just another day in the studio. That is, until Hugo, the Reliant Energy armadillo, strolled into her classroom, followed by cheers, cameras, and Dallas Cowboys legend Joe Looney. “I was just in complete shock,” Miller said. Miller was honored as the Cowboys Class Act Teacher of the Month for December, presented in partnership by Reliant…
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…