Arts groups, leaders ready for forum

The fall opening of Memorial Hall is the talk of the town as University leaders and students gear up to help campus groups plan to use the venue.

The second student arts forum of the semester will be held tonight at 5 p.m. in 103 Hill Hall. The forums, the first of which was held March 31, are designed to foster dialogue on how to bring together a disjointed arts community and to find the best ways for the many campus arts groups to communicate and coordinate.

Those in attendance at the forum will be Emil Kang, the executive director for the arts, and Molly Stapleton, the newly elected student government arts advocacy chairwoman.

Student Body Vice President Adrian Johnston and Paul Kapp, the campus historic preservation manager, will also attend along with representatives from different student groups.

Stapleton said Kapp will give a short PowerPoint presentation on the plans for Gerrard Hall and Playmakers Theatre, both of which will go offline in the near future for renovations.

The major focus of the forum will be Carolina Performs, an event set for Sept. 11 in Memorial Hall that will feature a number of student performances.

The showcase is a part of the gala opening weekend for the campus’s largest venue, which has been closed since 2002. The weekend events begin Sept. 9.

Applications for student groups interested in participating in Carolina Performs are available at http://www.unc.edu/studgov under “Arts Advocacy.”

They are due by 5 p.m. today and should be either e-mailed as an attachment to mmstaple@email.unc.edu or dropped off in Hill Hall at the forum.

The forum also will feature discussion on the availability of Memorial Hall to campus groups. An informational e-mail was sent to students at 5 p.m. Wednesday about the reservation process for Memorial Hall. Student groups that want to reserve the venue for arts and cultural events will be able to submit their requests starting at 8 a.m. May 2.

All other University groups that want to request space will be able to submit applications starting at 8 a.m. May 9.

(The DTH was unable to substantiate this scheduling information for today’s Diversions section, which went to press before the informational e-mail was sent.)

Stapleton said that while all groups are encouraged to apply, each organization will only be afforded one performance and rehearsal date per semester.

“We’re trying to work it out so that the student art and cultural groups can reserve that space,” she said.

Johnston said he is interested in working with all campus groups to concoct a way for there to be positive, lasting change for the arts community at UNC. “The arts are something I’m definitely passionate about,” he said. “I’m not an artist, but I love the arts, and I love the arts at Carolina.”

Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.