Aug 28 - Nov 13
School of Filmmaking Symposium
School of Filmmaking: Symposium

The School of Filmmaking's "Symposium" series opens a door into the world behind the screen, offering audiences a chance to engage with filmmakers, artists and creative thinkers from myriad disciplines who are shaping contemporary storytelling. Through screenings, conversations and engaging dialogue, each event becomes a unique space to come together and explore how art is made, why it matters and what it reveals about the world we live in.

Sep 29 - Oct 3
Fall Dance
Fall Dance

The past and present collide as the School of Dance opens its performance season with a dynamic exploration of movement across generations. Contemporary dancers take center stage to perform works shaped by shared training, mentorship and creative exchange.

29
Sep
Joshua Rupley
Pianist Joshua Rupley in Recital

Hear the piano in conversation across time as Joshua Rupley returns to UNCSA for a residency and solo recital, tracing an arc through the piano's evolution. The program envelops the lyrical depth and clarity of Franz Schubert, the sweeping emotional intensity and structural weight of Johannes Brahms and the contemporary voice of Andrew Hirschfeld. Together, these composers guide audiences from romantic depth to modern exploration, revealing how the piano transforms through eras. Rupley is an award-winning performer and educator. A prizewinner of the Jackie McGehee Young Artists Competition and the Olga Kern International Piano Competition, he appears regularly in recital and is a dedicated advocate for contemporary music and new works. He currently teaches at the Leopold Mozart College of Music at the University of Augsburg.

Oct 1-8
Runied
"Ruined" by Lynn Nottage

Amid the upheaval of civil war in Congo, Pulitzer Prize-winning "Ruined" follows the formidable Mama Nadi, whose bar becomes a haven for women marked by violence, loss and survival. She must skillfully navigate violent power struggles while protecting those who rely on her courage and cunning.

3
Oct
Ksenija Komljenović
Percussionist Ksenija Komljenović in Recital

Engage your imagination and enjoy a bold exploration of sound and identity as faculty artist Ksenija Komljenović presents a solo recital of newly created works. New works by European composers Bartek Miler, Ana Krstajić and Miloš Branisavljević highlight rhythmic precision, tonal color and expressive range. Rooted in Komljenović's heritage, the music draws on a wide spectrum of influences -- folk traditions, blues, jazz, film scoring, and video games -- blending them into a contemporary musical language shaped by agility and invention.

4
Oct
UNCSA Improvised Music and Jazz Studio Fall Showcase
UNCSA Improvised Music and Jazz Studio Fall Showcase

A night of spontaneity, groove and creative risk unfolds as the UNCSA Improvised Music and Jazz Studio presents a smooth showcase of sound. Student performers explore a wide range of jazz and improvised traditions, from structured charts to fully open-ended creation - highlighting individual voice, ensemble listening and real-time musical decision-making.

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Fellowship in Community Engagement brings cutting edge technology to the forefront for one artist

As a practicing artist interested in integrating technology into her own performance art, a Fellowship at the Media and Emerging Technology Lab (METL) at UNCSA has served Karine Fleurima well. She joined METL in August for a Creative Catalyst Fellowship in Community Engagement, helping the Lab with everything from social media communications to event planning.

With METL's focus on exploring modes of interactive storytelling like virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), Fleurima, a multidisciplinary artist whose work is based in Afro-futurist feminist concepts, was able to embrace the duties of the fellowship and learn more about how those technologies could be incorporated into her existing practice.

Fleurima at the premiere event for two METL projects, "Black Ice" and "System: The Contribution," at SECCA in Winston-Salem. / Photo: André Peele

For METL, partnering with the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts to offer the fellowship was crucial to the Lab's efforts to expand its reach. "Having Karine join us as the Fellow in Community Engagement allowed us to develop our social media platforms and create in-person community events," says Stacy Payne, METL's Director of Strategic Initiatives. "Karine brought her own vision and skills to these areas, which helped us launch important connecting points with our community."

One such project that Fleurima was involved in was METL's 2021 Immersive Storytelling Residency. The residency brought together techinical artists, game developers and filmmakers for the development of two VR projects, "Black Ice" and "System: The Contribution." "Black Ice" will make its world premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in March, with Fleurima in tow — she was able to utilize her fellowship funds to attend the festival and assist with the presentation of the VR experience.

That kind of work fulfilled by the fellowship, Payne says, met a great need and priority at METL. "The Kenan Institute has created a program that is tailored to meet the specific needs of each partner organization — and the interests of each Fellow — which is rare to find," she says. "We’re grateful to have been a part of it."

Below, Fleurima reflects on her Fellowship experiences and how her work in communicating about and interacting with VR and AR has enhanced her own storytelling:

What drew you to the Fellowship at METL?

The Kenan Institute's programs have really helped me to clarify my career goals. This clarity included the realization of the expansion of my creative practice to include emerging technology. My interest in VR has grown throughout the pandemic so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain some knowledge of the production of VR experiences.

How does the fellowship help meet your goals professionally and artistically?

I had never put on a VR set before this fellowship and now I’m excited about the possibility of creating my own immersive experience.

Karine Fleurima

It’s been an amazing opportunity to network and meet other creatives as well as organizations that are passionate about the intersection of art and technology. I had never put on a VR set before this fellowship and now I’m excited about the possibility of creating my own immersive experience.

Describe the work you did as a fellow. What was most exciting? What challenged you?

During the Immersive Storytelling Residency, I had the pleasure of engaging with some of the artists while capturing some behind-the-scenes footage of their process. Assisting with the coordination of METL’s VR presentation for the IdeasCity festival in downtown Winston-Salem was definitely a highlight as well.

Finally, I organized the culminating presentation for the 2021 Immersive Storytelling Residency at SECCA [the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem]. It’s been exciting to engage with so many different communities during this fellowship.

The biggest challenge has been the pandemic and maintaining COVID protocols for the in-person events that I coordinated. Luckily, safety and communication throughout the pre-production process was implemented in order to ensure successful execution.

Learning more about virtual reality has also been inspiring for my creative practice.

Can you talk about your own art or artistic projects? What inspires you?

My creative practice is based in creating immersive Afrofuturistic performance art experiences. During the pandemic, I shifted to creating virtual sound healing sessions as my focus is expanding to include VR. Currently, the deepening of my meditation and yoga practice is inspiring me.

February 2, 2022