The University of Georgia is putting a spotlight its arts programs and venues during a nine-day festival that includes concerts, theater and dance performances, art exhibitions, poetry readings, film festivals, discussions on the arts and creativity and more.
The 2013 Spotlight on the Arts festival, which began Nov. 7 and continues through Nov. 15, follows the pattern of the inaugural Spotlight festival that attracted some 15,000 attendees to more than 50 events scheduled over a similar period last year. In addition to more than 60 previously scheduled events this year, the festival will include a series of “Student Spotlight” events organized by students involved in the arts.
“UGA is home to exceptional programs in the performing, visual and literary arts,” said interim Provost Libby Morris, who is coordinating planning for the festival. “The purpose of the festival is to spotlight the many opportunities for members of the university community and audiences from throughout the area to participate in and enjoy the arts.”
Some of the highlights for the remainder of the festival include performances of the University Theatre’s production of “Pride and Prjudice” Nov. 13-15 at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Theatre, the 2013 Association of American University Presses Book, Jacket and Journal Show daily through Nov. 15 in the UGA Press offices on the third floor of the main library, and a roundtable discussion about careers in the Arts Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. in Room 148 of the Miller Learning Center.
Other highlights of the nine-day festival include a production of “Carmen” by the UGA Opera Theatre on Nov. 14 (with an open dress rehearsal the night before), events to be held in conjunction with the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 11 at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries, and a Museum Mix evening Nov. 14 at the Georgia Museum of Art, which will stay open until midnight for dancing and tours of the exhibitions.
The Willson Center, in conjunction with the community organization Whatever It Takes, will kick off a four-day film festival Nov. 15 featuring the work of writer-director Jim McKay, whose credits include “Everyday People” and “Angel Rodriguez.” Another film festival Nov. 12-15 will focus on movies tied to books published by the UGA Press.
A signature event on the closing evening of the festival will be a performance by Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain at the Performing Arts Center on Nov. 15. The Oscar-nominated actor has been portraying Twain on the stage for nearly 50 years.
“Thanks to the hard work of the member units of the UGA Arts Council, we feel there will be something to appeal to every interest,” said Morris, who convened the council in the fall of 2011.
The UGA Arts Council includes representatives from these campus units: The Performing Arts Center, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, the Lamar Dodd School of Art, the department of dance, the department of theatre and film studies, the Georgia Museum of Art, The Georgia Review, the UGA Press, the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the special collections libraries and the Office of the Provost.
A schedule of events is posted at arts.uga.edu/about/schedule/ and will be updated as additional details are confirmed. Tickets for festival events presented by the Performing Arts Center will be available for purchase online at pac.uga.edu, at the box office or by phone at 706-542-4400 (toll free at 888-289-8497). Tickets for events presented by the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, University Theatre and department of dance also may be purchased through the Performing Arts Center. UGA students receive discounts for most ticketed events, and many free events and activities are offered throughout the festival.