The Issue: Arts Festival takes place in O'Neill Plaza next week
What we think: Check out the hard work of fellow students
It's a sad fact that the arts can get overlooked in Boston College's sometimes one-dimensional Superfan culture (although even that label is inaccurate, as student sections consistently fail to be filled at sporting events). For the average student, artistic hobbies often take a backseat to the hustle and bustle of everyday college life. But for those who make art a central part of their lives, Arts Fest is the one time of the year that the art culture at BC is prominently shared with the rest of the community.
The festival showcases over 800 BC students' artistic achievements in the performing, visual, and literary arts. These performances and a variety of events will be going on constantly from noon to 10 p.m. next Thursday to Saturday. The Heights strongly encourages everyone to make plans to participate or attend.
Two years ago, Arts Festival attracted over 13,000 people and was highlighted by Saturday Night Live star Amy Poehler's participation in a hilarious My Mother's Fleabag performance. The success and popularity of this unique event over the past decade is a sign of the abundance of artistic talent and the great appreciation for art that is present on a campus that is not traditionally known for it. Despite a handful of successful alumni in those fields, artists at BC often receive too little notice, both by students and the University. The fine arts and English don't command the same resources afforded to departments in the sciences.
Hopefully, the continued success of Arts Fest will continue to turn this trend in the opposite direction. Hopeful signs persist as the administration has committed itself to expanding resources for the arts by including a new performance center on Brighton Campus in the Master Plan. This is a good start on a campus that finds dancers, singers, and artists all too often pushed to the margins of campus and forced to endure substandard resources and facilities.
So attend a music performance in O'Neill Plaza, spend a few minutes in between classes to check out your fellow students' art exhibits, or take a break from studying and enjoy a poetry reading or two - this is the special time of year that one can soak in the rich art culture that BC has to offer, and in so doing, show how much the arts matter at BC.
Spring Break
