Notes from the Director
Jerre Brisky
We've started another incredible season at the University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts. Throughout the 2010-2011 Season there are over 70 performances scheduled, averaging more than 2 per week throughout the academic year. In addition there are 8 exhibitions in the Art Gallery.
One special performance that we hope everyone will be able to attend is the 6th Annual Showcase of the Arts. This event gives you an opportunity to see the wide variety of performance and visual art that we produce throughout the season. In addition, you will have the opportunity to see the vast array of talented students that the faculty and staff have the pleasure to work with.
The Art Gallery (TAG) will present a season of exhibitions exploring the intersection of visual art and design within the context of contemporary art. The three visiting artist exhibitions, SOS, Schema and Iconicity,address the dynamic interaction of fine art and design in both direct and abstract associations, and through varying approaches to media, form and concept. Highlights of the exhibition season also include the annual UWF Faculty Exhibition, TAGGED: Student Art 2011, and Paperworks, the biennial national juried exhibition that explores the endless manipulation of paper-based art. Additionally, the UWF Department of Art Genius Loci Visiting Artist Series boasts visits from internationally recognized artist Won Ju Lim and New Orleans-based artist Skylar Fein.
In addition to the numerous ensemble and faculty performances throughout the year, the Music Department welcomes five guest artists this season for the Music Hall Artist Series - Louise Schulmann, viola (September), Kenneth Overton, baritone (October), Dorian Leljak, piano (November), St. Louis Brass Quintet (January) and Michael Chapdelaine, guitar (February).
The Theatre program presents four full productions this year starting with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead in September, our annual production of A Christmas Carol in December, Tennessee Williams’ classic Summer and Smoke in February and the musical favorite Brigadoon in April. In addition they have added a night of Music Theatre Scenes in November highlighting our students who are in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Music Theatre.
Over the last 5 years I along with many of you have had the pleasure of watching the incredible growth in talent as well as the number of students and audience members at the CFPA. That growth has established us as a quality institution not only locally but throughout the state of Florida establishing us as the artistic center of Northwest Florida. Please join us as we continue to grow and further the arts within the region.
We’ll see you at the Center!
Jerre Brisky