GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Mayan calendar predicts the world will end in 2012, and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts will be ready for it.
But as ArtPrize 2012 comes first, UICA will be a venue for the $560,000 competition first and celebrate the end of the world later.
In connection with the premiere of “Free Pie Film,” held Thursday at UICA, the arts organization announced its 2012-13 season with cutting-edge contemporary art, film, education programs and special programs for its 35th anniversary season.
The contemporary arts organization, which has suffered some blows lately, including the sudden, unexpected departure of executive director Jeffrey Meeuwsen in April, will return to regular operating hours, open six days a week, with films each day, beginning today.
Related: UICA has a fresh slate of new, independent films coming over the next several weeks.
But UICA, which just moved into a brand new home in the Gallery on Fulton last year, is bouncing back with a season of innovative programing, unveiled after the premiere of "Free Pie" by Caleb Slain, creator of Microsoft's Surface viral ad, plus nine more video projects by local filmmakers.
“The 2012-13 season marks the thrilling intersection of our new space, countless dynamic artworks, and expanded education, public and special programming,” said Kathryn Chaplow, president of UICA’s Board of Directors and Janet Teunis, director of operations.
In September, UICA will be a venue for the fourth ArtPrize with an exhibition titled “Somewhere Else” that opens with ArtPrize on Sept. 19 but continues through November with work that “transports viewers to another place, constructs surreal contexts and envisions different environments” with immersive installations, aggressive escapism and panoramic perspectives argue that there is no place like home.
“Somewhere Else” also refers to UICA’s 4th and 5th floors, which haven’t yet been used, but will be open to the public for the first time as part of this event.
Special events include “The Odd Ball” in September, a fundraising celebration of exhibitions, costumes and food on Sept. 18 on the eve of the opening of ArtPrize 2012.
Coming in October, UICA welcomes Open Projector Night. Beginning Oct. 9 and continuing the second Tuesday of every month, the free event offers filmmakers a platform to share their own work, inspiration or quirky found-footage with film lovers.
UICA’s Holiday Artists’ Market returns for one-of-a-kind shopping on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 for work by regional artists.
In December, UICA hosts its “End of the World Party” with live music, performances, food and drink to usher say farewell to the current World Age, according to some interpretations of Mayan and Hopi lore.
Assuming the world doesn’t end in December, UICA’s “Live Coverage” will be back on Feb. 16, 2013 to showcase more than 50 West Michigan visual artists creating art on the spot, part of a fundraiser with live and silent auctions for UICA’s programming.
In March, UICA will participate in the third Gilda’s LaughFest, humor through public programming and film screenings.
Also in the spring, UICA’s first curated Short Film Festival will debut on a date to be announced later. The one-day festival, featuring awards and categories for both students and professional filmmakers, offers a new way for artists working in our community to share their work with film fans.
Coming first next month, UICA’s ArtWorks Youth Program will unveil a mural at 106 S. Division Ave. on Aug. 9, and UICA also will launch new, regularly scheduled Education Programs.
Family Saturdays will be held the first Saturday of every month, beginning Aug. 4 for families to get their hands on art.
Quirkshops, for adults to try their hand at ceramics, begins Sept 6 for hands-on, one-night art making workshops.
Beginning in January 2013, ArtWorks Teen Night will provide students with informal opportunities to be engaged through art-related, career explorative experiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment