Expressive Arts Festival 2025
Date: March TBD, 2025
Time: 8:30am – 1:00 PM *generally
Location: TBD
Expressive Arts Festival Registration – Google Form link here: https://forms.gle/Yb1MmG3m2ig3NZnA8
Expressive Arts Festival Guideline Handout (pdf 5 pages)
All Expressive Arts Rubrics – see what qualities the judges are judging on (pdf 16 pages)
*Are we misssing a method of expression? We’d like to expand and offer judging opportunities in makeup, cosplay, and costuming – let us know if that interests you and we’ll adapt for 2025!
Drama Categories (all group focused)
- Published Play: A 30-minute group production, using a published script. Props and costumes are encouraged.
- Original Play: A 30-minute group production, using an original (un-published or devised) script. Props and costumes are encouraged
- Play Reading: Readers are to make their selection “come alive” without the use of costumes or props. Appropriate gestures and human-produced sound effects (no artificial devices) are allowed. Scripts are to be used. Maximum time limits and groups must consist of 3 or more participants.
- Dual-Acting Performance: A 10-15 minute two-person, memorized production where there is minimal eye or physical contact between performers but will act a script of generally two or more characters. No props or costumes allowed.
- Entertaining Performance: Produced with minimal props and costumes that can be performed in any room. Examples include skits, puppetry, group improvisation or creative dramatics. Maximum time limit is 12 minutes
Speaking Categories
- Memorized Selection: Prose, poetry, or any other piece that must be memorized presented by an individual. No notes allowed. Maximum time limit is 5 minutes.
- Literary Reading: Includes prose and poetry pieces presented as a reading by an individual. No props or costumes allowed. Maximum time limit is 5 minutes.
- Original Speech: A speech written by and presented by an individual on any subject, preferably one pertaining to his/her 4-H project work. Notes are permitted. Maximum time limit is 5 minutes.
- Storytelling: Original or published narrative, told as if to a younger audience, and presented without notes by an individual. No poetry is allowed. Costumes or props are encouraged, and facial expressions or gestures are allowed. Maximum time limit is 12 minutes, props are allowed.
| What is the difference between prose and poetry? Anything that isn’t a poem, such as a story or narrative is considered prose! |
Demonstration Categories (moved to Clover College)
Music Categories – NOT limited to groups anymore
- Instrumental: Performance from any genre using only musical instruments.
- Vocal: Performance from any genre using their voices only. Costumes are permitted, but no props are allowed.
- Dance: Performance choreographed from any genre. Costumes and props are permitted, but the focus should be on movement. Music set to the choreography may only be instrumental.
- Novelty: Performance provides musical, vocal, or movement entertainment by combining a variety of instrumental, vocal, or dance techniques. Examples of a Novelty performance include, but are not limited to lip syncing, variety shows, show choirs, or other musical performances that do not fit in the first three categories above.
Arts & Crafts, Marketing and Photography Categories
- Participants submit arts & crafts items for display and judging. Youth are not required to be present for the day, but can simply drop off their exhibits at the office the week leading up to the event. Please drop off all exhibits by Friday, March 8 at 4:00 p.m. Pick up can happen at the end of the event or the week following from the office.
- Please review the Family and Participant Handbook for more detailed information.
