Setting the stage for success: Celebrating 25 years of the Friends of Convocations
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In collaboration with Purdue Libraries and Purdue Convocations, Purdue Archives and Special Collections will host the exhibition, "Setting the Stage for Success: Celebrating 25 years of the Friends of Convocations" today (Jan.) 10 through Feb. 25, 2011.
Purdue Convocations presents a broad array of performances each year, encompassing jazz, dance, comedy, drama, Broadway productions, and classical and contemporary concerts. Convocations also enables artists to visit area classrooms, welcomes schools for special matinee performances, encourages professors to integrate performances into their curricula and helps teachers receive arts-integrative professional development.
Since 1985, Friends of Convocations have contributed more than $6.3 million to support educational outreach and 733 performances at Purdue. In June, Convocations will conclude a four-year fundraising campaign to raise $2.5 million to continue these programs.
To observe the Friends of Convocations 25th anniversary, the exhibition will showcase a timeline of performances since 1985. It will include headshots, posters, season brochures and artist memorabilia from some of the most beloved artists and speakers to grace the Purdue stages such as Joshua Bell, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Bill Cosby and more.
The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will be on display in the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives & Special Collections Research Center on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Science, and Education Library in Stewart Center. At the close of the exhibition, Purdue Convocations will be donating the collection to the University's Archives and Special Collections to preserve for future generations.
The exhibit will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, as well as prior to select season performances by the Rubberbandance Group on Jan. 29 and Cuarteto Casals on Feb. 17. Groups wanting to schedule a tour may call 765-494-2839. Visit the exhibit to enter to win free Convocations tickets. Winners will be announced each Friday on the Convocations Facebook page.
Source: Abby Eddy, 765-494-5045, aeeddy@purdue.edu