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Nextfest festival looking to showcase high school talent

High school students still have time to showcase their talent for the upcoming Nextfest festival in Edmonton.
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Nextfest runs from June 1-11 at The Roxy Theatre in Edmonton. (Photo by Brett Boyd)

High school students still have time to showcase their talent for the upcoming Nextfest festival in Edmonton.

The deadline is fast approaching to get entered into the long running festival at the Roxy Theatre this summer from June 1-11.

“The festival itself is to showcase early career artists and one section of the festival is just for high school (students),” said Jennifer Peebles, high school curator for Nextfest.

“One of the things about Nextfest that makes it different from other festivals is it’s a festival for up and coming artists and works, so everything at the festival is new work.”

For the high school component, students can submit their original music, plays, dance, artwork and more by Feb. 10.

The festival has a submission call out for dance projects, film, visual art (for those emerging artists wanting to do visual arts submissions), with a Feb. 15 deadline for the visual arts for emerging artists. Peebles said this is often for those individuals who are doing their visual arts degrees or trying to be a visual artist in and around the Edmonton area.

“The festival itself is for emerging artists. It covers digital, dance, theatre, visual art, music. It’s a multi-disciplinary arts festival with night clubs,” she said.

Peebles said once people are accepted into the festival, they will try and hook up as many students with mentors as possible.

She said it’s so important to make students have a positive experience and to feel success in sharing their art, because it’s likely the first step in sharing their art outside of their high school system.

High school students interested in applying can contact Peebles at jen.peebles@outlook.com. Application forms can be found by visiting the festival’s website at nextfest.ca.