The Haines School will host the Region V Art Festival this weekend, welcoming in roughly 70 students from across Southeast. 

Students will attend two instructional workshops a day from Friday through Monday. The sessions will be taught by art teachers from the visiting Region V schools, as well as local artists Tassja Letchworth, Kelleen Adams, John Svenson and Skweit Jessie Morgan. 

The annual art festival began in 1998, first in Wrangell by teacher Kirk Garbisch with the help of a Kake art instructor and carver Rick Mills. 

Its purpose for the last 30 years has been to encourage the exchange of art and instruction among high school students. It rotates among Southeast communities.

This year’s festival offers a range of workshops, including glassblowing, creating a formline longboard, beading, photography, halibut-hook carving and still-life painting. Each student chooses two options and spends an average of 15 hours in each workshop over four days.  

The art fest will conclude with an awards show and exhibition of student work open to the public Monday, 6:30 – 7:30, in the Haines High School Gym. 

Sue Bahelda of the Wrangell Sentinel contributed reporting to this story.