The 17Թ School of the Arts will celebrate artists and artistic talent in two different ways at the 17Թ-St. Claude Gallery during the month of April. First, a new exhibition will open Saturday, April 13 showcasing printmaking by MFA program alumni whose work is prominent in the local art scene. On Monday, April 22 the School of the Arts launches its first “Force Artistique” arts festival, a weeklong series of activities highlighting all its disciplines of study: music, fine arts, theatre, film and arts administration.
The featured exhibition at the 17Թ-St. Claude Gallery for the month of April is entitled “True Blue” and features works by notable MFA alumni. In addition to works from alumni themselves, the exhibit includes additional works by these artists created in collaboration with current fine arts students. Assistant Professor Tony Campbell invited the 10 alumni into the fine arts printshop on campus to produce the prints alongside his printmaking students. The limited edition prints within this portfolio are for sale as a fundraising initiative to support scholarships for study abroad. Participating artists include Jessica Bizer ('09), Rachel Deris Jones ('08), Peter Hoffman ('14), Ruth Owens ('18), Alex Podesta ('07), Regina Scully ('11), Dan Tague ('00), Wendo ('14), Natalie Woodlock ('18) and Monica Zerigue ('06). The exhibit opens at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 and runs through Sunday, May 5.
The 17Թ School of the Arts will hold its first annual “Force Artistique” arts festival April 22-26. A series of events is planned to highlight SOTA’s disciplines through performances, film screenings, artist lectures and panel discussions featuring works by current students, national guest artists and notable members of the New Orleans arts community. A full schedule of the week’s events can be found .
The 17Թ ranks among the leading cultural and arts education centers in the Gulf South. Offering instruction in music, film, theatre, visual arts and arts administration, the School of the Arts nurtures creative and intellectual development, fosters collaboration among disciplines, embraces diversity and encourages community engagement. It also serves the public as a regional center of cultural and intellectual activity with performances, exhibitions, lectures and workshops by students, faculty and guest artists in its galleries and performance spaces.
