Arts Over Tobacco (AOT) is a tobacco prevention initiative funded in part by the UAPB Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office. The program provides youth and young adults with creative alternatives to tobacco use and other unhealthy behaviors through performing arts, media production, and community engagement.
Our mission is to equip young people with opportunities, resources, and support that empower them to resist tobacco use and become advocates for healthier communities.
Through Arts Over Tobacco, youth:
• Produce multimedia awareness campaigns
• Create music videos, songs, and dramatic performances
• Participate in educational workshops and discussions
• Engage in prevention-focused media messaging
• Support tobacco-free initiatives in their communities
We serve youth and young adults across Faulkner, Garland, Hot Spring, Jefferson, Lonoke, Saline, and Pulaski Counties.
Big Energy Dance Squad
Big Energy Dance Squad is the official youth performance team of Arts Over Tobacco.
Designed for youth ages 12–17, Big Energy provides comprehensive training in jazz, hip-hop, ballet, street dance, and more — while requiring participants to pledge to live tobacco-free.
Big Energy members use performance and creative expression as tools to support tobacco prevention campaigns and produce media content that educates their peers about the dangers of smoking and vaping.
✔ Ages 12–17
✔ Tobacco-Free Commitment
✔ Performance & Advocacy
✔ Leadership & Mentorship
Big Energy Dance Squad is funded in part by the UAPB Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office.
Know the Truth Workshop
The Know the Truth Workshop is an interactive prevention experience designed to educate youth about the realities of smoking and vaping.
Participants explore:
• The health risks associated with tobacco use
• Tactics used by tobacco companies to target teens
• The impact of vaping on minority communities
• Practical strategies for making tobacco-free choices
Workshops include discussion-based learning, creative engagement, and real-world awareness that equips youth to protect themselves and influence their peers.
Go Live
Go Live: Creative Soul Sessions is an original live performance series presented by Arts, Absolutely!, where raw talent, soul, and storytelling collide.
Go Live showcases Arkansas’s emerging vocalists, poets, instrumentalists, and storytellers in an intimate, professionally produced visual experience. What began as a live performance gathering has evolved into a full creative production platform that celebrates authenticity, artistry, and expression.
Through support from Arts Over Tobacco (AOT), Go Live integrates prevention awareness messaging into creative programming, demonstrating how the arts can be a powerful vehicle for community education and impact.
• Live Music & Acoustic Sets
• Spoken Word & Storytelling
• Professional Visual Production
• Community Awareness & Creative Engagement
Now streaming on YouTube — Seasons 1, 2, & 3 available.
Go Live is funded in part by the UAPB Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office.
AOT in Action – Events & News
Arts Over Tobacco continues to engage youth and communities through creative programming, prevention campaigns, performances, and educational initiatives throughout the year.
To stay updated on upcoming events, behind-the-scenes moments, community outreach, and program announcements, visit our official AOT page.
