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.

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.

4
Oct
Iain Quinn
Organist Iain Quinn in Recital

An intimate opportunity to hear a distinctive instrument at the hands of a world-renowned musician and cultural historian, Iain Quinn gives a recital on UNCSA's Fisk, Op. 75 pipe organ. Set within the power and subtlety of the organ, the program explores a full range of emotion -- from quiet, sustained tones to emboldened sound -- highlighting the instrument as much as the performer. Quinn is an award-winning organist, composer and scholar whose work spans performance, composition and musicological research across Europe and the United States. He is professor of organ and coordinator of sacred music at Florida State University, research fellow in the arts and humanities and director of the annual Festival of the Creative Arts in the Office of the Vice President for Research. Quinn is also an Honorary Research Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.

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Creative Catalyst Fellow pivots from health education to full-time theater work at Hangar Theatre

Carley Robinson had been in the process of transitioning from her work in health education to the theater when she discovered a Creative Catalyst Fellowship in Education and Engagement at Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, N.Y. The fellowship, supported in partnership with the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at the UNC School of the Arts, turned out to be the perfect springboard — her fellowship evolved into a full-time role at Hangar as a Learning and Engagement Associate.

Robinson had worked with Hangar the previous summer as a teaching assistant and was excited about the opportunity to combine her interests in bringing together the things she's passionate about. "Combining my interests in theater and working with young people was a dream, and being able to do it in a community that has given so much to me felt extremely fulfilling," she says.

Her fellowship began last June and Robinson hit the ground running, working closely with the theater's summer youth programs, in particular the Next Generation School of Theatre, offered to kids in first through tenth grades. Additional projects included community engagement around Hangar's production of "An Odyssey" and working to re-imagine and oversee Project 4, the theater's in-school residency arts education program.

Carley Robinson

For Shirley Serotsky, Artistic Director at Hangar Theatre (and a 1999 graduate of the UNCSA School of Drama), the fellowship was an opportunity for the organization to begin evolving its approach to educational programming as a whole. "The Education and Engagement Fellowship position allowed us to re-imagine, re-focus and re-define our approach to in-person educational programming in the summer of 2021, after a full year of exclusively virtual programming," Serotsky says. "Carley brought a sense of compassion, enthusiasm and incredible creativity to this role. Young people and parents were glad to have her thoughtfulness and care in the position, as we welcomed them back to explore improvisation, devising plays, musical theater skills and more at the theater. Her oversight and care, especially in the time of COVID, was invaluable."

That thoughtfulness and ability to start conversations is what led Hangar to offer Robinson the full-time position. "Working with Carley has really opened up the conversation about how we bring learning into every aspect of what we do — from our mainstage productions, to our Theatre for Young Audiences shows, to the programs we have historically labeled as 'education programming.' We're excited to keep working with her to discover ways in which learning can be exciting, delightful, expansive and, of course, creative.”

Below, Robinson reflects on her time as a Creative Catalyst Fellow and the opportunity to continue her work with theater and education.

How did the Creative Catalyst Fellowship help meet your goals professionally?

The fellowship introduced me to arts education on a larger scale than being a freelance teaching artist, and really gave me the opportunity to explore what my place could be within an institution.

Carley Robinson

The most prominent boost has been receiving a return offer to work at the Hangar full-time. The fellowship introduced me to arts education on a larger scale than being a freelance teaching artist, and really gave me the opportunity to explore what my place could be within an institution. Now, I have a different perspective on how all of our education programs work together and how they fit into our theatrical season at large. As I continue my journey at the Hangar and beyond, I'm excited to explore how theaters can better integrate education programming and production.

Can you describe some of the work you did as a fellow? What was most exciting? What challenges did you encounter?

I definitely jumped right into the deep end at the start of this fellowship. In June, we were gearing up for our summer programming Next Generation School of Theatre, and our very first outdoor theatrical season was starting. I was tasked with creating a training program for new teaching artists and supporting them once classes started. All of our classes were on the grounds of the theater, so students were able to see professional rehearsals and productions in real time. They were able to see how everyone at the theater battled with the weather as we created a full season of outdoor programming. In the midst of a pandemic, the kids challenged me to dig into my creativity and joy to move through the hardships.

Can you tell me about any other recent art, work or projects you've been involved in?

I'll be acting in new work with Civic Ensemble. I've been working with Cornell's Performance and Media Arts Department, and consulting with Clockmaker Arts. I'm really trying to understand the landscape of Ithaca's theater scene and continue to foster a relationship with the community as a whole.

March 15, 2022