Danielle Meadows
SENIOR REPORTER
After being inactive for nearly four years, a UNO art student is bringing color back to the A.R.T.S.
After noticing a disconnect be-tween student artists, junior Alec Paul revived the Arts, Research and Teaching Society. Through this club, he hopes to form a group that feeds off of each other’s creativity, while learning new skills and applying them to the real world.
“A.R.T.S provides a network of accessible student artists, and student-tailored involvement, in something other than just personal goals,” said Paul. “This way, we aren’t so lost when we graduate.”
The club will bring together artists, art historians and art educators who want to participate in the local scene. Paul’s goal is to form a stronger bond inside and outside of the classroom, promoting the growth of friendships and networks of future colleagues in the art world.
A.R.T.S. is not limited to only art students—any student with an interest or talent for art is welcome. The club plans to hold demos in different mediums of study offered at UNO to get students interested in taking those classes.
“If we can bring someone into the club that is not taking art classes and give them exposure to what we’re doing in the art buildings, it will broaden our group,” said Paul.
A sense of community among the students is important to faculty advisor David Helm. The rebirth of the art club will aid in inspiring and energizing creative minds all over campus, promoting opportunities for discussion and education. The club will also create events for students interested in issues and futures in the arts.
“This type of club is essential to the creative and intellectual life at UNO,” said Helm.
Students in the group will choose their roles, ranging from being a member of the advertising committee to the DIY committee. All participants will play an active part in leadership, with fresh, unique ideas encouraged. The meetings will consist of people working on different projects for A.R.T.S., including subcommittees and officers that handle social media, local art involvement, show and fundraiser proposals and anything else that can be done to create a strong base for the club.
Two student exhibits will be sponsored by A.R.T.S. in the UNO Art Gallery. Those in charge of the club are also working to find alternative spaces for future exhibits at locations such as the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. For Paul, this club will be more than just a gathering of artists—it’s a way for Omaha to see what is happening with art on our campus.
“It will help us find jobs, find places to show our work, find connections in the real world, and help us find ways to sustain our practice so we can continue to do what we love,” said Paul.
For more information on joining A.R.T.S., email apjohnsen@unomaha.edu, visit @uno_arts on Instagram or ARTS at UNO on Facebook.
