County teens to showcase talents at arts festival MIDDLETOWN - The Monmouth County Arts Council's 2007 Teen Arts Festival comes to the campus of Brookdale Community College on March 15 and 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning with a Visual Arts Reception on March 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Teen Arts Festival brings together teens, teachers and artists involved in all disciplines of the arts to come together in workshops, performances, exhibits and critiques. Open to all Monmouth County students ages 13-19, in public and private middle and high schools, including home-schooled students, the festival brings a focus on the artistically talented teens of the county. "The festival is a wonderful opportunity for students to get valuable feedback from professional artists," Sandy B. Taylor, MCAC arts education director, said in a press release. "The collaborative effort between MCAC, BCC and volunteers from the community provide a beneficial atmosphere for creative expression and exploration." Artworks and performances by the students will be evaluated by professional artists who will provide positive, informative and critical analysis to each teen artist in each of their disciplines, plus encouragement and support. All adjudication sessions are open to the public. Although not a competition, selected art works and artists from a cross selection of the schools will be nominated to attend the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival at The College of New Jersey in May. The Teen Arts Festival provides time to work with professional artists in the fields of visual art, creative writing, theater, dance, and choral and instrumental music. There is also time to try different disciplines, have longer in-depth processing time in various mediums, and time for Monmouth County teen artists to meet and network with one another. Volunteers are needed to donate their time March 13, 14, 15 and 16 to assist with art installation, prepare for visual arts reception, help with registrations, and serve as general greeters and information providers throughout the festival. Brookdale Community College is located at 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft section of Middletown. To volunteer or for more information on the Teen Arts Festival, contact Tara Rochford at tara.rochford@verizon.net or Sandy B. Taylor, MCAC arts education director, at sbt@monmouthartscouncil.org, or call MCAC at (732) 212-1890. The Monmouth County Arts Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the county by providing resources to support, inspire and foster the growth and development of the arts. For more information, visit www.monmouthartscouncil.org or call 732-212-1890.