Vermont College of Fine Art to celebrate 175th anniversary

 VERMONT COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS TO HOST CELEBRATION WEEKEND

OCTOBER 3, 2009

 Event will celebrate the College’s 175th anniversary as an educational institution in Vermont

Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) will host Celebration Weekend on Saturday, October 3, 2009. The event will mark the College’s 175th anniversary as a Vermont educational institution. The day’s activities are open to MFA alumni, Vermont College alumni, community members, and prospective students.

“We want Celebration Weekend to honor the work we do here today, in our MFA programs, as well as the history represented by the college,” says Thomas Christopher Greene, president of VCFA. “This institution has a long history, dating back to 1834. We’re proud to be the carriers of this distinguished legacy.”

Saturday’s activities will also feature opportunities for guests to experience the current educational focus of Vermont College of Fine Arts, visual art and writing, with three seminars focused on arts in the afternoon. “We want to offer a window on the current life of this campus,” said Theberge. “The college is buzzing with activity and we want to give guests a chance to see VCFA in action.” 

Stacy Theberge, VCFA’s Director of External Affairs and Conference Services, notes that the weekend will involve the Vermont College Alumni Association, a group that includes alumni of Montpelier Seminary, Vermont Junior College, and Vermont College (both traditional and adult programs). The group has continued to be active through the institution’s eras of change.

The event kicks off with a spectacular dressage demonstration on the Green on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.: “Riding with Soul: Fine Arts and Horses in Harmony.” At 3:00 p.m., historian Michael Sherman will provide insight into the history of Vermont College with a lecture in the Chapel about the 175 years of Vermont College history. At 4:00 p.m., two seminars are available for visitors to learn more about Vermont College of Fine Arts: one focused on writing: “Yard Sale: An Imaginative Writing Experience” and one on social networking: “Social Networking for Writers and Artists.” The day concludes with a Celebration Weekend reception in the Chapel from at 5:00 p.m., a moment to mark the weekend and honor Vermont College’s 175th Anniversary as an educational institution.

A complete schedule of activities is listed below.

All activities are free, and dormitory rooms are available for a small fee. VCFA also encourages alumni to plan mini-reunions, retreats, or other activities on campus during Celebration Weekend.

For more information, visit www.vermontcollege.edu.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

1–2:00 PM        Welcome Center and Refreshments

Sponsored by Vermont College Alumni Association (VCAA). Please click here for an invitation from VCAA. Archive Room, College Hall

2:00 PM            Dressage Demonstration

“Riding with Soul: Fine Arts and Horses in Harmony" Green

Enjoy the beauty of horses and riders dancing to music on the green as expert trainer Ruth Hogan-Poulsen explains the intricacies and history of the sport and art of dressage.

3–4:00 PM        A History of Vermont College: 175 Years of Education in Vermont

Michael Sherman, historian and editor of Vermont History, the journal of the Vermont Historical Society, will give a one-hour visual presentation about the history of Vermont College from its beginnings in 1834 as Newbury Seminary to 2009 as Vermont College Fine Arts. The college has enjoyed a long and rich history and has served as a historic Vermont institution. Join a renowned local historian to learn more about Vermont College through the years. Chapel

3–4:00 PM        VCFA Information Sessions 

MFA in Writing and MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults Panel Discussion and Q&A.  MFA in Visual Art alumni presentation about the program, followed by a question-and-answer period with faculty co-chair, director, and alumni/ae.  College Hall

4–5:00 PM        Social Networking for Writers and Artists

Presentation by Ann Cardinal, VCFA Director of Marketing. Are you getting pressure to join Facebook but have no idea how to start or if it would even serve you? Is the only tweet you’re interested one that comes from a bird? Does the term “social networking” fill you with abject terror? Believe it or not, these few examples of social networking platforms really can serve your craft and career as an artist or writer.

Join us as we talk about ways you can use these new technologies to connect with other artists/writers, gallery owners and editors, and even your old girlfriend from high school (who knows, she might be the new senior editor at Simon & Schuster!). We will talk about the different venues and their benefits and uses, degrees of privacy, professional versus personal use, and how to use them to express your individual brand. Even if you are an old hand at this type of promotion, please come and share your thoughts and knowledge with others. College Hall 205

4–5:00 PM        Creative Session: “The Yard Sale: An Imaginative Writing Experience”

Throughout Vermont during fall foliage, locals and visitors are hunting for treasure at neighborhood yard sales.  Here on campus, we'll have a chance to "shop" our own table of evocative objects and see what magical dust they stir up in the secret stores of imagination and memory.  Come equipped with paper and pen for this guided series of explorations.  The session is designed for participants from all genres and backgrounds, including those with no formal creative writing experience. College Hall

 5–6:30 PM       Celebration Weekend Reception        

Join VCFA for a reception to mark Celebration Weekend, as well as honor Vermont College’s 175th Anniversary as an educational institution. Appetizers and refreshments will be served.  Chapel

About VCFA

A nationally recognized graduate school for the arts based in Montpelier, Vermont, VCFA has three low-residency MFA programs in Writing, Writing for Children & Young Adults, and Visual Art. Vermont College of Fine Arts is the only institution of its kind—a low-residency graduate school devoted exclusively to fine arts education. For more information, visit www.vermontcollege.edu.

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