Where do Shakespeare and swing dancing collide? At UC Merced’s Global Arts, Media & Writing Studies (GAMWS) Spring Showcase.
For the second time this academic year, students, faculty and community members will gather to enjoy the culminating work of UC Merced’s GAMWS students. Unlike other art departments, UC Merced’s GAMWS work is unique in that the coursework intentionally blends a range of art forms to provide students a holistic understanding of the arts.
“We’re trying to think of artistic production from as many lenses as we can,” said department Chair Jayson Beaster-Jones. “We cover roughly 10 disciplines within our single department, so we can see and exploit the intersections within those arts.”
The showcase aims to give the community and future students a sense of what GAMWS offers, Beaster-Jones said.
The showcase is not limited to traditional forms of art. While there will be paintings and sculpture, the showcase will also feature performative storytelling, creative writing, Latin American dance, film, songwriting and more.
“What we’re trying to do is create a synergistic constellation of different arts,” Beaster-Jones said. “To be interactive with the arts is what GAMWS is all about.”
The GAMWS Student Art Showcase will take place Friday, May 10 from 5 to 10 p.m. at UC Merced’s Social Sciences and Management and Student Services buildings. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free in the North Bowl Lot.
