Creative Campus

While Creative Campus serves as a collaborative hub, it also functions as a portal to get student artists into the community. Creative Campus became involved with the Artrageous tour, sponsored by the Harrison Galleries and the Tuscaloosa Arts & Humanities Council. Held on the first Thursday of every month, Artrageous Riverfront Arts Tour is a monthly tour of the visual arts at galleries in downtown Tuscaloosa and Northport.  Creative Campus intern, Andi Johnson, not only contacted business owners downtown who were willing to showcase student artwork and musicians, but also collected student artwork and identified musicians for the April 2, 2009 tour.

Five student ensembles were hired to perform at Artrageous in various downtown venues: Capture Studio Cafe, Harrison Galleries, and Venice Italian Fusion. Venice Italian Fusion owner, Adam McClellan, agreed to also host student artwork. More than twelve student pieces were submitted for the event. McClellan has continued housing the art in hopes to serve as a liaison for student artists and potential buyers in the community.  The goal of connecting students with the community was met with positive reaction.  One measurement of this has been seen in the purchase of student art on display at Venice Italian Fusion. Another indication was the warm reception given to student musicians from community members.

The Artrageous performance and exhibit served as a new networking opportunity for these students as well as engaging the community with UA’s student artists. Since April’s Artrageous, the Creative Campus involvement has had long term effects. Since incorporating student musicians and artists into the tour, Artrageous organizers have since added local jazz ensemble performance at Little Willies to the tour line-up. UA Sophomore, Jessie Weaver was asked to have a photography exhibit at Capture Studio Cafe in conjunction with the June tour. Musicians on the April tour have also gained performance opportunities after their initial appearance in April. Ryan Davis, trombonist for a hip-hop trio, was asked to make additional engagements to perform at Capture Studio Cafe.