Unity College to Host Student Art Showcase on Saturday, November 16 at UCCPA

Unity, Maine - Unity College will be showcasing the full range of artistic talent within its community during
an event at the Unity College Center for the Performing Arts (UCCPA) on Saturday, November 16 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Admission is free and open to the general public.

    Light refreshments will be available.

    The UCCPA is located at 42 Depot Street. Unity, Maine.

     “The gallery will feature displays for the visual arts including sculpture, painting, photography, and short writing pieces,” noted Rebecca Zerlin’14, a Wildlife and Ecology major from New Orleans, Louisiana.  “Live performances will begin at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.”

       Performances in the auditorium will include pieces by the Unity College Chorus, poetry readings, and skits / monologues by the Unity College Drama Troupe.

     The first time event evolved from what was originally conceived as a performance by the chorus, but expanded when Zerlin realized the full scope of artistic talent within the student body.  She was encouraged
to organize a larger, community-wide showcase for artistic talent by Janet Preston, Instructor and Faculty Advisor to the Unity College Chorus.

     Though Unity College is an environmental college with a first in the nation focus on sustainability science, the leading-edge of transdisciplinary (collaborative) environmental problem solving, it encourages student creativity and the arts at all levels.

     “Music and other forms of artistic expression are essential components of a well-rounded educational experience,” noted Preston.

     She says that often employers prize college graduates who have the ability to communicate effectively.  “The arts give students the opportunity to develop their communications skills,” Preston said.

     Beyond the educational aspects of participating in an arts showcase lies an added benefit.

     “Pursuing arts is a lot of fun,” noted Zerlin.  “Participating allows us to interact with different individuals from across the campus community.  You get to know students who you might not have met otherwise.”
     In recent years Unity College has gained national attention for a variety of achievements including: its focus on sustainability science, the leading-edge of 21st century ecological problem solving and the vanguard in the fight for the mitigation of global climate change; its ground-breaking “green” innovations such as the award-winning TerraHaus, the first student residence on a college or university campus built to the Passive House standard, the most energy efficient building standard in the world; and for being the first college in the United States to divest from investments in fossil fuels, igniting a growing national movement in higher education.

     Unity College is a private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education that emphasizes the environment and natural resources. Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.