Art, Helping Lives

On January 12^th 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit Haiti, sixteen miles west of Port-au-Prince. Since then, an estimated three million people have been affected (dead, injured or left homeless) by the earthquake. The whole world responded to this tragedy heartily providing humanitarian and monetary aid.

Some made the trip to Haiti to volunteer and help; others sent in money, and still more wanted to help without a clear means of doing so. Amanda Hughes, a student at Blinn College, was one of them. With the thought of the devastation in Haiti haunting her, Hughes took initiative and presented an idea that started off as a small scale sale and ended up being a part of something much bigger, The Downtown Street and Art Fair in Bryan.

 Surprised by the lack of art present in the College Station and Bryan area, Hughes had initially wanted to put on an art show in a garage or a smaller venue. She found people to be less interested than she had anticipated, and put the idea aside for some time. Then the earthquake hit Haiti, and once again she found herself considering the idea of a fundraiser to make a significant effort as a community to help those in need. Not knowing where to start, she stuck to what she did know: Art.

Once Hughes realized how many people wanted to help Haiti but felt that they could not leave in the middle of a semester or send enough money on their own to make a difference, she brought up the idea of an art sale fundraiser and each time the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Hughes managed to meet with the head of the MSC Forsyth Gallery, who is in charge of events like Art Relief. What started as a small idea had finally found the momentum it needed. Once the April 17^th date was decided, Hughes found out about the Downtown Street and Arts fair, which was to be held the same day. Art Relief had found a venue and a larger event to team up with.

Art Relief is now the student-organized fundraising arm of The Downtown Street and Art Fair, which is sponsored by the MSC Forsyth Center Galleries. The Galleries benefit the Downtown Arts and Culture Association, which is dedicated to fostering the creation, enjoyment and understanding of the arts in Downtown Bryan.

Currently, the project is being sponsored by Green Park Pharmacy (Houston), MSC Forsyth Gallery (Bryan) and The Village Cafe (Bryan). Another Dallas-based printing company is providing the effort with free posters, flyers and t-shirts. There are also about seven bands wanting to play, including talks of a performance by Jason Castro. Until they sell out, there are wristbands on sale for two dollars and t-shirts for fifteen, and proceeds from both will be going to help the effort.

Local artists are encouraged to submit their work to this worthy cause.  Submissions are not confined to any medium, so artists may donate any original art ranging from photography to sculptures to paintings. Entry requirements are easy, focusing on the end result rather than a difficult submission process which could deter possible participants.  It is important to note that it will be parents’ weekend, so all pieces will have to be family appropriate, and festival officials reserve the right to remove any work deemed unsuitable.

If you are an artist, here are some important dates to keep in mind:

-          April 1^st 2010: Sign-up deadline.

-          April 9^th 2010: Deadline for artists who will not be physically present at the event.

-          April 15^th 2010: Completion deadline for artists who will be present. All art pieces should be completed by this date.

-          April 17^th 2010: Exhibition opens to the public 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Hughes hopes this will be more than just an art show, she wants people to see that this is “art, saving lives.” The show, though being a fundraiser, is also a forum for local artists to interact with the community and each other. She hopes this will be a reason for conversations in years to come, where people can mention the effort of students in the Bryan and College Station area to help Haiti.

The fundraiser aims to exhibit and sell local, original art. A hundred percent of the profit will be donated to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Mark your calendars for April 17^th, and head down to downtown Bryan. There will also be performances by dance, theatre, and musical groups from the local community and student organizations. Admission is free.

            For more information on how to participate in the program, email: art.relief2010@gmail.com ; or follow: @ArtRelief2010 on Twitter for updates.