Art All Around Us

Art sparks connectivity, either with others through conversation or with oneself through introspection. That sense of connectedness is at the core of the inaugural Smith Arts Day on Saturday, April 13. Over a packed day of performances, open rehearsals, exhibitions, installations, art-making activities, and even some dance parties, the event aims to unite students, faculty, staff, and the community at large.

Spearheaded by Leigh Fagin, the inaugural Jean and David W. Wallace Foundation director of the Office for the Arts, Smith Arts Day is an all-day celebration that spans Smith’s campus, beginning with an Imaging Center open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST and ending with a handful of concerts and a Smith Shakes performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Happening in tandem with Admitted Students Day, the event is an opportunity to show current and prospective students that the arts and creativity are central to life at Smith, explains Fagin.

“Smith Arts Day will offer a glimpse into what is being created here by students, staff, and faculty and the range of what we make possible with the incredibly rich resources we have at our disposal,” Fagin says. “The day is not meant to be a comprehensive look at everything, but rather a snapshot of the kinds of activities that make the arts at Smith unique.”

Eventgoers will discover that art is a thread that connects the entire campus. As Fagin explains, formal art spaces such as the Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts and the art museum are incorporated into the celebration, as one would expect, but special installations mounted in the Clark Science Center and Neilson Library will serve to signal that art is happening all around us.

“I hope this day will remind us how vital creativity is in our lives, on our campus, and for the health of our community. I believe in the intrinsic power of art to bring us together and foster collective, shared experiences,” Fagin says. “Smith Arts Day aims to offer space for learning new things about ourselves and to create connections with others.”

Below we’ve rounded up three events you won’t want to miss on Saturday.

10-Minute Dance Parties

In collaboration with campus radio station WOZQ, there will be three chances to bust a move on Saturday: at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. EST on the Campus Center lawn. Looking to show off that Beyoncé choreography you memorized? Or need to shake off that last exam or Hinge date? This is your chance to let it all loose alongside your fellow Smithies. No registration or dance skills required.

Cut Loose: Collage Bookmarks

On the second floor of the Hillyer Art Library from 3 to 5 p.m. EST, join local collage artist Michael Sjostedt for a laid-back bookmark workshop. Participants can create up to six bookmarks while listening to some chill music. “Space is limited to the first 25 people, but the materials will be inspiring and everyone will walk away with something really special,” Fagin says.

Community Mural

From 1 to 6 p.m. EST, the atrium of the Hillyer Art Library* will serve as the birthplace of a collaborative mural. Supplies will be provided and all are invited to make their mark on this commemorative piece of art, which will serve as a lasting marker of the inaugural event. “The mural is something I hope to do each year, so we can look back on how we came together as a community around the arts and created something new each time,” Fagin says.

*Note: Location changed from Chapin lawn in anticipation of rain.

To learn more about upcoming events and Smith-related news, visit smith.edu and read the college’s weekly Notes From Paradise newsletter.