November 2009 / vol. 6 issue 3
| A smile to captivate the ages. Photoillustration by jonathan coker |
Arts Alive!
Absence of attention for arts arouses alarm
They’re not on campus maps, but the new Arts and Humanities (A&H) buildings could very well be the heart of this campus. If you had taken a stroll down the A&H halls this past Saturday, you would have encountered Novis, a student-started a cappella group harmonizing in the rehearsal room, guitarists plucking out melodies in the practice halls, and an artist in the art studio wrapping up a conceptual series of paintings. Although UT Dallas has long been known for computer science, engineering, and business administration, it’s impossible to ignore the warning signs of a burgeoning artistic culture.
The Arts and Humanities department is often overlooked in the pursuit of new programs. Shiny, new buildings and cutting-edge technology for science have served to cover up the university’s lack of arts offerings. Only recently have the artists on campus been paid long overdue attention by the administration. That delay was probably due more to failure of past programs than to a skewed administrative agenda. A huge segment of the budget has been allocated to bring in performers to encourage the student body to explore the fine arts, and yet the seats remain empty unless attendance is required by Rhet 1101.
The UT Dallas campus is growing extremely quickly. Students have unique opportunities to impact their college environment through applying for funds from the Alumni Student Grant Fund or starting a new club. In that regard, college life at UTD greatly reflects the values of the students themselves. So instead of isolating yourself from campus, seeking outside venues, or griping about the tragically small number of theatrical productions on campus, do something about it.
Students have bemoaned the distinct lack of school spirit at this university, citing distressingly low attendance at athletic events as well as larger events such as the homecoming dance. Often, however, the complainers are the ones skipping activities. School pride is about not only allegiance but also actively supporting your classmates. Interactions between classmate and classmate, performer and audience, and athlete and fan form the social situations from which school spirit stems.
Pick up a calendar and see why the financial support the university has given to the arts department is worth it. Whether it is a play, an art exhibition, or an underground poetry circus, each of those events is an opportunity to meet some of the artists that sit alongside you in the Pub doing homework. Brittany Sharkey is one such individual, a performer for the underground poetry circus and a shining example of how to express oneself in a collegiate atmosphere.
The underground poetry circus is like something out of a movie. Performers volunteer to step on stage and share their gifts with the public. The only things missing from the dimly lit and somewhat smoky atmosphere are stereotypical black turtle necks, bongo drums, and snapping.
Sharkey, a spunky red-head, takes the stage, and everyone goes silent. For a moment the whole room waits together. As if in some cheesy war movie, all of these random people are united by a single cause. In this performance, she addresses the close relationship between artist and audience:
“Albeit an audience of one, I am an audience nonetheless. I give his words meaning, breathe life and realization into her performance; provide the proverbial stage for their pacing minds. I am the target, the vessel, the beginning, middle, end, the poet’s defining antithesis. I don’t even have to be his biggest fan, and yet somehow that almost gives me more power. For it is those least eager to listen we must seek most to touch.”
The codependent nature of man is never more evident than in the relationship between artist and audience. To elaborate on the proverb “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, art is the social perception of individual expression, so don’t underestimate your role as an observer. You aren’t just a seat-warmer, taking notes for a humanities paper — you’re the very reason for the performance.
Walk the streets of Austin in the general vicinity of UT, and you will find a variety of activities available on Friday and Saturday nights. There are street performers, parties, study groups, and even random costumed characters strutting about. It is not some anomaly, but rather the fruition of many individual dreams. This can be achieved at UTD, too.
So next time the weekend rolls around and you’re looking for something to do, don’t discredit your fellow classmates and leave campus. Look around and you’ll see there is life on campus. There is life outside of your apartment — just go out and explore. The fine arts department at UTD, and campus life in general, needs your support. Attend soccer games, chess matches, SUAAB events and RHA Monster Mashes. Instead of complaining about campus life, become a part of it. 
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