What do Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg and actress Lili Taylor have in common? They were both at The Astor Center to celebrate Now Showing, the silent auction that showcased the most promising and emerging artists in New York City! I was so excited to see all the artwork and the performances — and a few famous faces didn’t hurt either.

Jesse Eisenberg fans, don’t be jealous. I saw him read live from Ned Vizzini’s award winning novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2007 Best Book for Young Adults from the American Library Association) while Lili Taylor read from the bestselling novel Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. My colleagues and I nodded our heads (and maybe even danced a little) to music by Max Vernon and chamber-rock band Rasputina, whom both gave great performances may I add. I also got to see some amazing artwork at the event. Check out this video showcasing the artwork! The video doesn’t do the work justice, but it’s the best I can do.

(From l-r) Scholastic CEO Richard Robinson; Iole Luchesse and Billy DiMichele of Scholastic; Gaynor Strachan-Chun, Board of Directors, Alliance for Young Artists & Writers

The artists and musicians who participated in Now Showing are past winners of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including Anna Ortiz, Michael Tarbi, Allison Edge and more. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the oldest (88 years old to be exact) and most prestigious awards program recognizing creative students in grades 7-12. High school seniors who win awards get the chance to get college scholarships. This year’s winners follow in the footsteps of notable alums like Andy Warhol, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Redford, Tom Otterness, Richard Avedon, and Zac Posen. Wouldn’t it be cool to have your name mentioned in the same breath as them? The 2011 national award winners were announced today. To see a full list of these well-deserving artists and writers, click here.

With school budget cuts on the rise, how important do you think school art programs are in developing and supporting creative students?