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The Central Illinois Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters will re-establish a local public space by hosting a student art show. Decades ago, Robeson’s held an annual show at their store in Champaign and this year, the NSAL committee, headed by Dale Steffensen, a self-proclaimed art enthusiast, hopes to pick up where Robeson’s fine tradition left off.
“An Artistic Discovery: The 2008 Congressional Art Competition” is currently on display at The High School of Saint Thomas More, 3901 N. Mattis Ave. in Champaign, and it’s almost coming to a close. Students from thirteen high schools in Illinois’ 15th Congressional District have entered this year’s competition which allows students to display their artwork locally, but also gives them an opportunity to be recognized on a national level for their artistry.
Central High School will present Jonathan Larson’s Tony and Pulitzer-prize winning Broadway musical, RENT, tonight, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. RENT is a modern day rock opera inspired by Puccini’s classic opera “La Bohème.” It follows a year in the lives of seven friends barely making ends meet with their Bohemian lifestyles in New York City’s East Village.
For one hour, this Saturday, April 5, nine dancers and three musicians will take to the rink at Skateland in Savoy, and embark on a live musical exploration and improvise their physical movement. According to their website, they will “share the impulses and intersections of a journey to free joy of the body, mind, and spirit.” Brought to fruition by University of Illinois Dance major and BFA Dance candidate, Kinsey McCartor, “Precision Not Required” is a site specific group thesis …
Tonight between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., Krannert Art Museum will be hosting its bi-annual ARTzilla event to celebrate the opening of its newest exhibition, “Landscapes of Experience and Imagination: Explorations by Midwest Latina/Latino Artists.” A wide variety of media will be on display from six artists exploring the theme of landscapes as a metaphor for the human experience. The collective artwork reflects upon the artists’ self-identities and their personal insights to the Latin presence in the United States. The …
Derek Winstanley’s sculpture entitled, “Prehistoric Dolphin with Modern Technology”, has been chosen as the featured image for the 2008 Boneyard Arts Festival. The panel of local arts professionals, Jenny Southlynn, Joan Stolz, Kim Curtis, and Durango Mendoza, selected Winstanley’s three-dimensional piece after carefully analyzing the qualities of nearly 50 submissions. This is the first time the Boneyard Arts Festival has selected a three-dimensional piece to serve as their unifying visual theme.
Telluride’s Mountainfilm on Tour, a touring short film festival, makes an appearance this evening at Champaign’s Virginia Theatre. Ten short films (mostly documentary shorts, with some animation and political satire mixed in) will be screened, and “indomitable spirit” is the theme: an 89-year-old woman walks across the country to raise awareness about campaign finance reform, rare baby ducks make dangerous leaps to water so they can get their lives started, 40 kids climb the summit of Mount Everest… Ten tales …
Shows at Urbana’s cozy Station Theatre are always a treat. The intimate, theatre-in-the-round setting makes the spectator feel nearly a part of the performance. Certain shows lend themselves better to this atmosphere than others of course — and Deke Weaver’s upcoming play is one such show. In C-U by way of Minnesota, San Francisco and New York City, Weaver is currently a professor at the University of Illinois’s School of Art + Design. He’s also an award-winning performer, playwright, media-artist …
Wind Water and Light, an artisans gallery, opens an exhibit dubbed The Real Politik — just in time for February’s political rumble, Super Tuesday, on Feb. 5. A relatively new kid on the block in downtown Champaign, Wind Water and Light opens the month-long exhibit today featuring two-dimensional and three-dimensional works from local artists reflecting hot button issues in the country and the current political landscape. Displaying artists include Billy Morrow Jackson, Siti Mariah Jackson, Hyon Joo Kim, Brian Sullivan, …
Art museums sometimes get a bad rap. Maybe this is caused by flashbacks to unpleasant school excursions from our youth, when we were shepherded through boring exhibits while pretentious docents blathered on about Etruscan art. Maybe it’s the fear that we won’t know the artists or their work, and will be forced to face our own cultural inadequacies. Or maybe we just want some action, and feel that museums won’t deliver the goods. But there are those other times when …
Most Recent Arts Comments
Local, I forgot to offer you a piece of sage advice. Don’t bag on 39 south because they represent your potential collector pool. Even though I haven’t lived in Champaign since 1997, 39 south is still the only arts entity that has promoted my work as an…
Lest 39 South feels picked on: Check this from the Urbana City Public Arts Program: “Calling all Champaign County Artists! We’re pleased to announce a Call for Entries for a new initiative called Murals on Glass, which will feature artwork reproduced in adhesive vinyl displayed on the…
You forgot Jonathon Fineberg was also personal pals with the Christo’s. I’ll agree that Dr. Fineberg has done a tremendous job communicating to undergrads why this stuff is important, but I won’t kiss the ring because he also contributed to the dismantling of crafts at the U…
And boom goes the dynamite.
I think the best and most exciting arts programming in Champaign-Urbana is at the Krannert Art Museum. The depth and quality of the museum’s permanent collection speaks highly to the intelligence of the art history faculty at the University. I have to say taking Art History with…
Another mystifying thing is 39 South touts the fact that when you consider all things that are considered “art”, i.e. music, exhibits, movies, performances, craft fairs, circuses, ect; art in Champaign County apparently generates $60 million dollars of “economic activity” every year, so says 39 South. And…
I have to agree, I’m a bit confused as to the purpose of 40 North, although I am aware that the organization is in a period of restructuring and re-examination. And yes, the “staff of 1” does work tirelessly to keep the operations afloat, but the fact…
“Making art accessible to everyone and cultivating the art and artists in Champaign County is 40 North’s main mission.” FACT: When the Urbana City Council proposed to form a new public arts council of its own in 2008, 39 South actually sent letters from board members Cody…
On behalf of the New Art Film Festival, I’d like to thank you for highlighting our event in this article. It is our pleasure to put together this showcase for the community and the recognition is highly appreciated by all of us involved in the NAFF. Also,…
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Most Recent Comments
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
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Thanks for the sage advice Mary Anna, but I’m long done with the sucking up and being thankful for the scraps. The most important thing an artist can do to live with yourself is tell the emperor he’s got no clothes, and spray paint something on his…