District Rally Events

Speech Rally

All Speech Rally events will be held in the Student Union unless otherwise stated on the official map of events that is distributed to Rally Coordinators.
 
All video production DVD, Radio Speaking Verification Forms and CD’s or jump drives should be postmarked no later than January 8, 2024.

Regulations and Policies:

1. Ratings: Superior, 5 points; Excellent, 4 points; Good, 3 points; Average, 2 points; Fair, 1 point.
2. Each school is allowed one entry in each division.
3. Principals, coaches, and contestants are urged to study the regulations for the events in which they wish to enter. Two separate entry forms (one for each Speech events) are included in this bulletin.
4. Persons other than the contestants in any given event at the discretion of the judge may be permitted to observe but are requested to stay for the entire event to avoid delays and other disruptions.
5. Only participants earning a “Superior” rating in Extemporaneous speaking, Interpretive Reading, and Original Oratory events will advance to State Speech Rally.
6. Contestants entered Radio Speaking, Television Speaking, and Video Production will not progress to a state competition.
7. Events involving more than ten contestants may be split into two or more groups with different contest rooms and judges.
8. A Student May compete in both a Literary and Speech Event.

Speech Rally Categories:

Extemporaneous Speaking
Interpretive Speaking 
Original Oratory
Radio Speaking
Television Speaking
Video Production (OPEN EVENT)

 

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Drama Rally

One-Act Play Contest

Location: 

Student Union, Bayou Bijou

Date:

Wednesday, February 21st and Thursday, February 22nd, 2024:

Time:

Any time requests must accompany the entry form. Current time slots are: 8:30 am; 9:15 am; 10:00 am; 10:45 am; 11:30 am; 12:15 pm and 1:00 pm on each day February 21 and 22.
 
These requests will be taken into consideration. A schedule will be developed based on the number of schools entered. Each director will be informed of the day, place, and time of his/her play in advance of Rally. Please note that every effort will be made to fulfill special time/date requests, but if we are unable to accommodate your request, the schedule will not be rearranged once it is set. If the entry number is too low the contest will take place on one day only.

Time Limit:

Twenty minutes. Time allotted reflects the State Festival regulations. Each school will have a maximum of thirty minutes, including setup, performance and strike. Any piece running over twenty minutes will be disqualified from advancing to State. However, performers in the piece will still be considered for individual awards. Official timing of pieces will begin when either; the lights go up, someone begins speaking or we hear the first sound cue (recorded or live). Critiquing will take place immediately after strike.

Topic Selection:

In choosing a play, directors should stay away from original classroom projects and duet acting exercises. All participants should try to select plays of merit. Catalogs of one-act plays may be obtained by writing the following publishing companies:
 
Baker’s Plays, 1445 Hancock St. #206, Quincy, MA 02169
Dramatist’s Play Service, 440 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
Samuel French, Inc., 25th West 45th St., New York, NY 10036

Judging Criteria:

All one-act plays entered will be viewed as being in one division only. First, Second, and Third place awards will receive individual trophies for their respective schools. In addition, recognition will be awarded to individual students from throughout the competition. Four students will be honored as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. We will also recognize an All Star Cast of all top performers. The numbers will vary according to the number of quality performers.

Staging/Props:

Each school must provide all hand props (telephone, books, etc.), and any unusual furniture (we will provide two standard benches, six chairs, one round table (42” in diameter), and one rectangle table (30” W x 60” L), all other furniture must be provided by the school. A piano is available for any school requesting a piano and presenting a musical. All entries will be performed in the settings provided by the University. Schools are forbidden to bring stage settings to be erected. Productions with special lighting effects should be avoided. Schools must bring their own sound effects equipment. All load-ins will begin at the assigned time and must come through the door at the back of the theater. Production groups must supply their own makeup and costumes.

Contest Entry Regulations and Policies:

Entry forms must be received by January 12, 2024.  This deadline will be strictly enforced. Please do not send your one-act play entry to the Department of Performing Arts. Please mail them to: Andre David, Literary Rally Coordinator. P.O. Box 41210 Lafayette, LA 70504. Please notice that there is a separate entry form to be used in this contest. A given school may enter only one production in the contest. To compete at State Rally a school must earn a “Superior” rating at UL Drama Rally.

Special Invitation:

The Department of Performing Arts invites and encourages participants to view performances of other schools on the day of their performance. We request that schools stay for the entire event to avoid delays and other disruptions.

Special Accommodations:

Please make sure to complete the special accommodations form and submit with your entry form.

 

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Art Rally Exhibition

Each year the UL Lafayette College of Arts and the Department of Visual Arts hosts a High School Rally Art Exhibition for local high school students/artists in conjunction with the District Literary Rally. This exhibition will take place from February 5 – February 24, 2024, in the Fletcher Hall Gallery located on the 2nd floor of Joel Fletcher Hall on the UL Lafayette campus. The goal of the exhibition is to inspire young artists by providing a platform for their work to be displayed in a professional, artistic venue and thus giving them a taste of a professional artist experience.  The exhibition offers students a positive exhibition experience along with the opportunity to showcase the finest creative work in the area.

Eligibility:

Any High School (9 – 12 grade) participating in the District Literary Rally may also participate in the High School Rally Art Exhibition.
 
Submission Requirements:

Artwork must be submitted by a high school art teacher or representative. Each high school teacher/representative may submit up to 5 pieces of artwork, with no more than 2 pieces submitted in each media. All submitted work must be completed by the student artist and produced during the current academic year.  
 
How to Submit Artwork:

Teachers must submit entries via our online entry portal.
 
Teachers will need to provide an image of the piece, name of student, school, teacher’s name, media, and size to the online form. Labels will be produced from the information submitted, so please make sure this information is accurate. Online entries must be submitted by Friday, January 19, 2024.
 
Additionally, please provide a visual inventory list that includes thumbnails (small images) of each piece being submitted when the physical artwork is dropped off.
 
Media:

Eligible submissions will be in one of the following categories:

• Ceramics
• Computer Art and Animation
• Drawing
• Graphic Design
• Metalwork and Jewelry
• Mixed Media/Collage
• New Media and Digital Art
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

Artwork must meet the following specifications to be eligible for submission:

• Two-dimensional work must not exceed 40 inches wide by 68 inches high.
• Three-dimensional work must not exceed 60 inches high by 36 inches wide and 36 inches deep.
• Only art works original in concept and execution will be accepted.  No copies or “number painting” will be accepted.

Please review the fair use guidelines, to make sure the work you are submitting are acceptable.

 
Framing Guidelines:

All two-dimensional works must be framed and ready to hang for a professional gallery with the appropriate mounting hardware (wire, cleats, etc.). All three-dimensional works must be structurally sound with all components securely fastened. Two-dimensional work such as drawings, photographs, digital or printed images should be presented matted and mounted on a hard surface under glass or plexiglass, Paintings may be submitted framed or unframed, and shall have properly sized picture framing wire. Installation instructions must be included on all works submitted in the sculpture category. Works not suitably prepared for installation will be disqualified and will not be installed. Please make sure label information is mounted or clearly marked on the backside or bottom of each piece.

Jurors:

A committee of Department of Visual Arts Faculty will serve as judges for this exhibition. This committee changes every year.
 
The criteria for awards selection are technical proficiency in the use of medium, originality, narrative, self-expression, presentation, and craftsmanship. The award selections are exclusively the opinion of the judge(s) and are final; the decisions are not those of the Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment or the administration of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
 
Awards:

First, Second, and Third-place winners will be selected for the overall exhibition. At the discretion of the juroring committee, honorable mentions may also be awarded but is not guaranteed. Art Rally is an event at the district level only, there is no Art Rally at the State Rally.

Schedule & Deadlines:

January 19, 2024
Deadline to submit at https://2024ulrallyart.artcall.org/
 
January 29 - 31, 2024
The delivery of the physical art pieces must be turned in at the Fletcher Hall Gallery by 4:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday - January 29 - 31, 2024. The Fletcher Hall Gallery is located on the 2nd floor at the Joel L. Fletcher Hall, 421 E Lewis St, Lafayette, LA 70503. Teachers dropping off work can park in the loading zone, or the two 30 minute/visitor spots located on E. Lewis Street side of Fletcher Hall. Additional paid parking is in the Girard Park Circle parking garage.
 
February 5, 2024
The exhibitions open to the public and runs from February 5 – February 24.
 
February 24, 2024
An Award and Closing Reception will be held on February 24, 9:00 am – 11:00 am in the Fletcher Hall Gallery on the day of UL Lafayette Rally. The award results will be posted during exhibition viewing hours and winners will be acknowledged at 10:30 AM during the closing reception.
 
Pick Up of Artwork

Exhibited works can be picked up at the close of the show on Saturday, February 24, 2024, after 11:00 am or the following week after the exhibition closes February 26 – February 28, 2024. Every precaution will be taken to assure protection of artwork. Liability for hand-delivered works left after the pickup or shipping dates will not be assumed by the UL Lafayette Office of Undergraduate Recruitment, College of the Arts, Department of Visual Arts, or the Fletcher Hall Gallery.
 
Fletcher Hall Gallery Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am – 12 noon
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For questions and more information please contact Michael Eble, Curator of Exhibitions, at the UL Lafayette, College of the Arts, 337-482-5318, michael.eble@louisiana.edu
 
This exhibition is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, as administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.