College of Fine Arts

Interim Dean Christopher Mead
Center for the Arts Rm 1101
505-277-2111
ccmead@unm.edu

Listed below are the community and outreach programs of the College of Fine Arts.

Gale Memorial Lecture Series
The Gale Memorial Lecture Series was established in 1994 in memory of Dr. David Gale and his wife Sylvia whose generosity made the series possible. The Department of Art and Art History and the College of Fine Arts Outreach Program sponsor this series and all lectures are free and open to the public.

Arts of the Americas Institute
In 1999, the Arts of the Americas Institute (AAI) was officially established to promote recognition, acceptance, understanding, and communication between individuals and organizations, especially the arts and cultures of traditionally marginalized communities. Towards this end, the AAI has formed a consortium of Native American museums and culture centers to expedite the process of connecting them with one another and with UNM via a broadband telecommunications infrastructure. The AAI is anticipating an alliance with the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in the near future to develop a Museum Studies program with a strong Native American component. The AAI recently received a $150,000 grant form the Educational Foundation of America to support this program, as well as the Bainbridge-Bunting Memorial Slide Libraries Native American Artists database. The development of these programs has the potential for outreach beyond the university, the state and nation.

Arts Technology Center
The College of Fine Arts established the Arts Technology Center (ATC). The ATC is currently in partnership with the Albuquerque High Performance Computing Center. The AHPCC's science and engineering research staff are teaming up with artists-in-residence across all artistic disciplines to fulfill mutual research goals. The University of New Mexico is subsidizing the design and construction of a state-of-the-art, high technology art studio to be located at the AHPCC. The AHPCC and ATC are co-sponsoring the artist-in-residency. This partnership is a major accomplishment because it signifies a bridge between the arts and sciences at UNM. The ATC has also formed working relationships with various nationally significant entities, namely Rhizome, Turbulence, and the Art & Science Laboratory.

International Cinema Lecture Series
The International Cinema Lecture Series (ICLS) brings significant artists and scholars of film and video to UNM to share their ideas and their work with the UNM community as well as with the greater New Mexico community. The vast majority of these visiting artists have enjoyed outstanding international reputations. Most of ICLS events are free and open to the public.

Music

Albuquerque Youth Symphony - The Albuquerque Youth Symphony (AYSP) program is in its 46th season and is one of the largest programs in the nation, with participation by over 400 students from grade 3-12 who attend over 40 public, private, parochial, and home schools within a 50-mile radius of Albuquerque. AYSP groups rehearse weekly during the school year and perform on many concerts and events such as their annual tour. AYSP now includes five separate orchestras,each with its own conductors and sectional instructors. Alumni from the AYSP are now playing in major orchestras throughout the United States including the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras (to name two of the premier orchestras).

All State Conference - The All-State Conference is the single most important event for music educators in New Mexico and is produced by the New Mexico Music Educators Association. The All-State Conference is held at UNM in most years. Music students from all over the state compete locally to be a part of an "all-state" ensemble. All-State Ensembles (Choirs, Bands, Orchestras) are rehearsed by visiting conductors of national repute and then performed in final concerts at the end of the All-State Conference. This event brings to UNM 300 school music teachers and more than 1,000 of the finest high school musicians in the state. This is a great occasion for students from all over New Mexico and their music-educator teachers to see the best UNM has to offer.

UNM Collegiate Singers - The UNM Collegiate Singers is a Department of Music ensemble that specializes in show choir music. They perform popular music and show-time musicales in a combined theatre, music, and dance program. Their tours have excited many lovers of the popular song and stage music for over 40 years.

Music Prep School - The Music Prep School provides Saturday morning classes for pre-school through mid-high school aged children. The UNM Music Prep School began in 1993 and offers a wide variety of classes during the year.

New Mexico Winds - New Mexico Winds is a UNM faculty woodwind quintet that tours New Mexico. The faculty musicians have played together for three years developing a great repertoire and terrific enthusiasm. This touring group offers recitals to daytime school assemblies and/or master classes.

New Mexico Brass Quintet - The New Mexico Brass Quintet (NMBQ) consists of three UNM faculty member and two graduate students. Since its foundation in 1977, the NMBQ has established an international reputation as one of the finest ensembles of its kind. In addition to European tours, NMBQ has performed throughout New Mexico, remaining deeply committed to its home state.

Zia Band Festival - The Zia Band Festival is held each fall semester for high schools from New Mexico and surrounding states.

Theatre & Dance

Children's Theatre Tour - In its fifth year of tour, The Children's Theatre Tour provides an opportunity for CFA students to select a play -- written by one of their own -- to be staged, directed and toured to APS by CFA students. In addition to original scripts, traditional and well-loved productions also go on tour.

Summer Theatre Academy for Children - The Summer Theatre Academy was started in the summer of 1999 with 42 mid and high school students. This year the academy was expanded to include dance and has grown to a total of 100 mid and high school students receiving training in both theatre and dance. The Academy involves intense daily workshops, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, which run for two weeks-ending with a public performance on the final day.

SW High School Theatre Festival - The SW High School Theatre Festival takes place in January and is a three day event held in the both the Rodey and Experimental Theatre. Over 400 students attend and participate in professional workshops, lectures and performances. The experience is a cooperative approach to working and learning together. Students come from around the state, including Silver City, Farmington, and Gallup. In addition, out-of-state students come from Texas and Arizona. The SW High School Theatre Festival has existed over 20 years. Over the years, the Outreach Program has sponsored this successful event in an effort to continue providing New Mexico students with quality theatre education.

SW High School Dance Festival - In conjunction with the Faculty Dance Festival over 100 students have attended and participated in professional dance workshops and performances in the UNM Carlisle Gymnasium, later attending performances in Rodey Theatre. Students come from around New Mexico as well as Texas and Arizona.

Eva Encinias and the UNM Flamenco Dance Ensemble - As the UNM Flamenco Dance Ensemble reaches national recognition for its unique program and professional performances, it is significant that this group honors its New Mexico roots. In great demand, UNM Flamenco Ensemble frequently performs around the state. In the spring of 2000, Eva Encinias and the entire dance ensemble were co-sponsored by the Outreach Program to travel to Tucumcari where they helped celebrate the town's "Heritage Week".

Wrinkle Writing Program - Wrinkle Writing is a collaborative program involving theatre students and faculty from the College of Fine Arts, as well as professional writers, New Mexico teachers and students in grades 1 through 12 in more than twenty area public, private and pueblo schools. The purpose of Wrinkle Writing is to use theatre education to enrich writing experiences in the classroom, encourage the inclusion of playwriting and theatre in the curriculum, and to use dramatic performances to "publish" student writing. This program trains teachers while placing student theatre artists/writers from participating classrooms into public performances. Performances are held at school auditoriums, ultimately leading to performances in the CFA's Rodey Theatre. This year's estimated school and Rodey audiences numbered 3500 attendees.

Arts in the Open - Each year, APS coordinates a student art project, "Arts in the Open." Students from all grades compete to get their design chosen for display on Albuquerque area billboards. The CFA sponsored ten student works. In recognition of the College's on-going support, APS extends the College the privilege to select artwork from the entire collection of student winners. Beyond sponsoring student art panels, the CFA hosted a reception in the spring for all its sponsored artists, their art teachers, principals and family members. The dean of the college presented each of the students with a certificate of recognition. In addition, the students' artwork was on display in the Fine Arts Center Foyer. The College hosts this event every year. As of this year, 2001, the Arts in the Open project will no longer be held due to increasing costs and APS re-directing their interests elsewhere.

Other Community Involvement

Frequently, community organizations and/or businesses approach the Outreach Program to facilitate the publicity of their events. During the year 2000, the Outreach Program worked with Sandia National Laboratories' Community Development Office to host a Fine Arts career booth utilizing CFA faculty and staff volunteers for a citywide "School-to-the-World" program for middle school students.

For further information, please contact the Office of the Vice President for Advancement, Scholes Hall 108, at 505-277-1586 or email dgon@unm.edu.

Comments to dgon@unm.edu