OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—Nearly 800 high school students from across Oklahoma auditioned for the 50th annual Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain (OSAI), the state’s premier arts education program. Following a competitive selection process, only 230 students were chosen to attend the prestigious institute, which will take place June 13-28, 2026, at Quartz Mountain State Park & Lodge.
Among those selected is dance student Lilly Henderson of Durant.
Approaching its 50th anniversary summer, OSAI has built an impressive legacy of alumni who have gone on to national and international acclaim, including actor, writer, and filmmaker Tim Blake Nelson and Emmy Award-winning actress Megan Mullally. Participants specialize in one of eight disciplines across the literary, visual, and performing arts, while also experiencing cross-disciplinary collaboration in the inspiring natural setting of Quartz Mountain. During the two-week residential program, students receive intensive, collegiate-level instruction and mentorship from distinguished teaching artists from around the world.
Among the extraordinary 2026 faculty teaching artists is DeeAnna Hiett, Professor and Chair of Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory. Joining Hiett is choral conductor Dr. Jeffrey Allen Murdock, who received the 2021 GRAMMY award for Music Educator of the Year.
“This camp has been a blessing to me and has shown me so many things about myself that have readied me to take the next steps in my journey,” said Dr. Murdock after conducting the Institute Chorus in 2022.“It is a blessing that this kind of creative space exists for the young musicians of Oklahoma.”
A hallmark of OSAI is its commitment to accessibility. Every student selected to attend receives a full scholarship, valued at over $4,200. Major funding is provided by private donors secured by the Oklahoma Arts Institute, with matching funds from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Oklahoma Arts Council receives support from the State of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts.