Yesterday, in celebration of its 10 year anniversary, the Ozark Media Arts Festival (OMAFX) received recognition from Senator John Boozman in the Congressional Record, which is to be preserved in the Library of Congress.

• What is OMAFX? Ozark Media Arts Festival is a local premiere festival that "showcases video and photography from high school and college students." The goal is to "build strong connections and networks to enable a sustainable pathway from education to industry" in the arts.

• The festival is a free annual event that provides students a platform to showcase their talents and make industry connections. The four day event was held virtually in November of 2020. Over 1,000 students and teachers attended.

• Since its inception, OMAFX has had over 8,000 participants, it has given away over $50,000 to help support the local media industry, and paved multiple avenues for students to further their careers by partnering with organizations such as Starz, HBO, and local film festivals.

You can read more about the 10 year celebration HERE. The 2021 festival dates have not yet been set.