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DePauw calls on all artists and performers for 2022 Art Walk
With the success of the 2021 Art Walk and the relation of Covid precautions and mandates, DePauw University calls for the Greencastle community to participate in DePauw University’s Art Walk 2022 from April 29 to May 1.
When COVID-19 entered the picture, performances became restricted and “not so fun to play,” says DePauw University School of Music Professor William Pearson. “Restrictions were being put in place to help lessen the spread of Covid, and this especially hit music students because that means anyone who plays the flute or sings, for example, couldn’t perform.”
If you are a musician or artist, you know how it feels not to perform in front of an audience. Without any medium to perform in front of an audience, others decided to do something new.
“A group of students early on last year started talking about wanting to create something that would provide more opportunities to perform on campus,” Pearson says, “and as we started talking more about it, the idea became much more focused on creating opportunities for the entire campus, on and off, to show their works of art and creativity.”
A three-day arts festival was created for students to digitally send in their poems, paintings and anything that was created.
“We were trying to create a sense of creative community in the year that was tough to create,” Pearson says.
With last year’s Art Walk being more music-heavy, Pearson hopes for this year’s event to have a wide variety of submissions. Reactions from last year were highly positive, and this year, there are high hopes for more
“For many students, the Art Walk was the only public performance opportunity they had in 2021, so they were incredibly grateful for that opportunity,” Pearson says. “The community members I have talked to are enthusiastic. We had a family come by and tell us they attended one of the jazz ensemble performances last year, and they loved it. I’m hoping we get a lot more community engagement this year.”
For those who paint, write, play an instrument, sing and do anything considered the arts, you now have the opportunity to perform for a larger audience. No matter your age or skill level, it’s all about having fun in an open environment.
“Anyone can be a part of the Art Walk 2022. If they don’t consider themselves artists maybe but makes music or sketches, we make a point to tell those people that we want to showcase their work, too,” Pearson says. “I think can it be enjoyable more anyone who doesn’t think of themselves as an artist, but can present their art in an open setting and is not too scary and think of themselves as a creative person.”
As with any new showcase, the first event will not only show all of the hard work that goes into a performance or a work of art, but it will also show ways to improve the event so that future events run even smoother.
“With Covid restrictions now being much easier to work with, my big thing going forward is having this event being a student-led project,” Pearson says. “I try hard not to push my vision of what I would like to see out of this, so I want it to be an expression of what the students and the community members involved want it to be.”
Pearson says they are succeeding in making the Art Walk more accessible this year by opening up submissions to Greencastle community members and is hopeful for more community involvement with future walks having themes and potentially being a charity event.
Pearson adds, “I hope the Art Walk continues to grow, and I certainly plan on continuing it for as long as I can.”
Currently, Art Walk 2022 has 40 submissions, but there is still plenty of time for members of the community to submit any form of artwork or composition.
If you are interested in submitting, go to www.dpuartwalk.com and click on “Interest Form.” The deadline for all submissions is April 1.