The College of Performing and Visual Arts reintroduced its event, StART Salon, on Thursday, March 21, at the Moxi Theater.
The event, which showcases the artistic talents of students, went on a temporary hiatus due to the Coronavirus but came back stronger with a variety of artists on not one, but two different stages.
Upstairs in the Moxi Theater, audiences were exposed to larger groups like the Northern Lights Acapella group and Chaos Improv, as well as local bands like the Play Wr!tes. StART Salon also marked the first live set for one of the performers, Odd Encounter.
Downstairs at Stella’s Pinball Lounge, audiences had the opportunity for a more intimate experience, with performances from smaller groups and solo artists.
Event coordinators made sure to include as many forms of art as possible, transforming the bar space of the Moxi Theater into a gallery. Student artists had the opportunity to display and sell their artwork to event-goers. Artists showed no boundaries in their creativity, with pieces ranging from black and white portraits to a sculpture of a multi-colored frog.
This year’s event was largely inspired by what shut it down in the first place: COVID-19. Event coordinators like Sarah Long, the Theatre and Dance performance coordinator, focused on looking toward the future in the wake of the pandemic.
“In a post-pandemic world we’re trying to represent how art has changed positively because of COVID-19,” Long said.
The event, titled “Blank Slate,” gave an opportunity for artists to show off the world they wanted to create with their art. Long says the idea of a “Blank Slate” goes further than that though.
StART Salon is looking to truly establish itself and expand over the coming years. This year, the event underwent changes to its branding, as well as being held in the Moxi Theater for the first time. Long says that this year is the launching point that will allow the event to grow in the future.
