September 10, 2012

An Arts Infusion: Lafayette Kicks Off START Initiative

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Lafayette kicked off its multi-year START Project this weekend with faculty workshops and a festival of arts-based displays, performances, and presentations in Anderson Courtyard and Acopian Engineering Center. Funded by an $800,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the initiative will further integrate the performing and visual arts throughout the curriculum and co-curricular activities, create new programs in the arts, and enhance existing ones.

Read more about the START initiative

Two lectures highlighted examples of ways the arts have been used as teaching tools across multiple disciplines at other institutions and a daylong workshop for faculty and staff focused on developing course modules that integrate the visual and performing arts into a broad array of classes. Jan Cohen-Cruz, former director of Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life, presented “Hyphenated Arts: Integrating Arts and Other Disciplines in the Curriculum and Beyond,” and John Weber, director of the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, presented “Exhibitions, Objects, and Interdisciplinary Teaching.”

The START Fest allowed students, faculty, and staff to get a taste of the art and music that are already being created by members of the campus community. The event included an exhibition of student artwork, presentations of various arts-based research projects, performances by student and faculty ensembles, and a concert presented by hip-hop artists Baba Brinkman & Jamie Simmonds.

START Fest

View and share more images of START Fest on Flickr

The Marquis Consort Duo performs. From left to right are Hannah Quinlan ’13, Erin Townley ’14, and Jorge Torres, director and associate professor of music.
Nicole Tchorowski '14 shows off her artwork.
The Percussion Ensemble performs.
The Percussion Ensemble performs.
Ellis Finger, director of the Williams Center for the Arts, was the MC for the START Fest in Anderson Courtyard.
The Jazz Combo performs.
John Bisciotti ’14, plays bass with the Jazz Combo.
Various displays lined the sidewalk during START Fest.
John O'Keefe, associate vice president of ITS, plays with his son, Miles, during START Fest.
Joe Cericola '16 plays frisbee.
People listen to music and look at the artwork during START Fest.
The Jack Furlong Quartet performs.
Students, faculty, and staff mingle during START Fest.
Nandini Sikand, assistant professor of film and media studies, performs a classical Indian dance.
Susan Charlton, left, visiting instructor of music, and Julia Campbell ’15 perform a duo on flute.
Michael Ryan '15 performs with the New Music Ensemble.
Nandini Sikand, left, assistant professor of film and media studies, and Carrie Rohman, assistant professor of English, perform a dance entitled 'Point of Departure.'
Samuel Strong '12 holds a mathematical drawing and a rendering of the sculpture it describes up to the sun so both appear at once.
Hip Hop artist Baba Brinkman performs.
Students, faculty, and guests listen to Baba Brinkman perform.
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