In 2014, Ouita Northcutt received the People’s Choice Award and first-place award in the professional artists category for her chalk painting on love and rejection at the Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival. (Submitted photo)
Artists of all ages and abilities, it’s time to “talk the talk, then chalk the walk.”
And you folks who wish to help people in their 20s who otherwise cannot afford to go to college without a scholarship are encouraged to “write checks for chalk art” as sponsors to make our workforce smarter.
Artists are encouraged to invite your artist friends to the Roane State Community College campus in Oak Ridge to showcase your talents for free while helping others get an education.
Artists and sponsors are needed for the 16th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival, which will be held on Saturday, October 3, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the sidewalks of the RSCC Oak Ridge campus on Briarcliff Road. The rain date is October 4.
Artists should register online at www.roanestate.edu/streetpaintingfestival, and sponsors can print out a donation form pdf to fill out from the same website.
The Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, which organizes and sponsors the annual festival, will supply artists with free chalks of many colors so they can paint the Roane State sidewalks.
Every sponsor of a sidewalk square for an artist to chalk will contribute to scholarships for Roane State students. Each painted square is valued at $100.
The goal of the festival is to raise $20,000 for scholarships this year. So far $10,000 has been raised.
Corporate sponsors to date include Materials and Chemistry Laboratory Inc.; Y-12 Federal Credit Union; CNC Y-12; and ORNL Federal Credit Union.
“Without scholarships many students of all ages would not be at Roane State obtaining the special skills they need to get jobs and help the workforce,” said Melinda Hillman, co-chair of the Rotary club’s Street Painting Festival committee, former executive director of the Roane State Foundation and vice president of RSCC’s Oak Ridge and satellite campuses.
Corporate levels of support are Platinum Sponsor, $10,000; Gold Sponsor, $5,000; Silver Sponsor, $2,500; Bronze Sponsor, $1,000; Small Business Sponsor, $200 and up; and Individual Sponsor, $100 and up. Sponsors will be recognized publicly.
Please write your check to Roane State Foundation and designate it “Street Painting Festival” and attach it to the sponsor form. Mail or deliver your check and form to the Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge Campus, Administrative Office, 701 Briarcliff Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830.
Over the past 15 years, the Street Painting Festival has contributed more than $210,000 to Roane State scholarships, said David Bradshaw, president of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge.
The art may be started on Friday afternoon, October 2, and must be completed at 4 p.m. Saturday for judging. Artist awards will be announced after 5 p.m.
First-place winners in individual, team, amateur, and professional categories, and the People’s Choice Award winner(s), will each receive a $50 cash prize.
During the festival music will be played, refreshments will be available, and activities for children will be under way. The festival is free for the public.
If you have questions, call Melinda Hillman at (865) 481-2001, ext. 2301, or e-mail her at hillmanmk@roanestate.edu.
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