The goal of Vision+Voice is to give students a literacy experience that fosters creativity and self expression.
Vision+Voice is an annual poetry contest for K-12 students in the Austin Community College service area. Launched in 2013, Vision+Voice was established by ACC to provide multiple venues for students to become published poets, and give students greater access to share their work with authentic audiences. Students are free to determine the topic and type of poem to submit. Poems of any language are accepted.
Winning poems are selected by a panel of judges consisting of ACC Creative Writing students, faculty, and published poets.
Vision+Voice provides students multiple opportunities to share their work:
- All submitted poems are published at k12.visionandvoice.org.
- Winning poets are invited to videotape their poems at Austin PBS studios, and these videos are posted on the Vision+Voice youtube channel.
- Winning poems are published in a paperback anthology.
- One winning poem per grade is paired with original artwork by ACC students to produce posters that are displayed across ACC campuses and throughout Austin.
- Public readings and poster exhibits are hosted by Malvern Books.
- Each April, ACC hosts an awards reception during National Poetry Month to celebrate the students, teachers and parents who participated in Vision+Voice.
Vision+Voice is a joint project of the Art & Digital Media Division and the Liberal Arts, Humanities & Communication Division at ACC.
Our Sponsors include:
Austin PBS
Malvern Books
BookPeople
Paramount Academy for the Arts
ACC Alumni Network
Comments from our community:
As the educational media provider for Central Texas, we normally spend our days broadcasting content to youth. With Vision + Voice, we get the chance to share our youth’s creative talent with the entire community, a reversal of duties that gives us immense pride and joy.
Benjamin Kramer, VP of Education, Austin PBS
Writing is an act by which I seek meaning in something new that I’ve learned, imagined, or felt. To encourage young poets to practice this skill, capture their ‘vision and voice,’ and learn to appreciate that of others is a powerful service that ACC provides our community.
Dr. Charles Cook, ACC Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Vision+Voice allows students to explore their creative selves and add meaningfully to our collective understanding of the human experience. At its heart, this collaboration of ACC student artists and local K-12 poets underscores the power of artistic expression to bring us together.
Charlotte Gullick, ACC Creative Writing Department Chair
So often, our creative work is something we keep private in sketchbooks and journals. Having one’s work acknowledged by others , and to see it in print within these pages, gives these young people the confidence to keep writing and making art. In turn, I am inspired by the beautiful poetry and images of Vision+Voice every year.
Cindy St. John, Educator, Fulmore Middle School
Finding your voice is one of the most vital and transformative moments in a person’s life. The art and poetry in these pages reflect those instances when, perhaps for the first time, young writers and artists reach inside themselves and pull out who they truly are and what they want to say to the world. Vision+Voice crystallizes and celebrates these breakthroughs and shares them with the community. I can’t think of a more powerful experience for both the artists and the audience.
Bree Rolfe, English and Creative Writing Teacher, James Bowie High School
Vision+Voice is a great example of the collaborative spirit in Central Texas. Every year I am amazed and thrilled to see the talent of our young artists.
Dr. Richard Rhodes, Austin Community College President/CEO
Vision+Voice underscores the power of community partnership to empower vision and give voice to creative expression. These poems are funny, poignant, sad, inspiring – but above all, they challenge us to acknowledge the depth and beauty of experience in every neighborhood (and school lunchroom).
Dr. Matthew Daude Laurents, Dean of Arts & Humanities, ACC
Vision+Voice spotlights amazing work by young Austin poets and we are proud to be a part of honoring their creativity. These voices need to be heard.
Maury Sullivan, Senior VP of Community Engagement, Austin PBS
Vision+Voice is a wonderful program that encourages students’ creativity and promotes meaningful collaboration between young artists and writers. We were thrilled to host an art opening and poetry reading that showcased their talents, and we look forward to celebrating the remarkable work of future participants.
Dr. Joe W Bratcher III, Founder, Malvern Books