As you may know, this week is national Arts In Education Week. We thought this would be a great time to share some of the exciting opportunities Northrop has for University of Minnesota students. Our student engagement team has been hard at work, and we have five new initiatives this year!
Imagine sitting in the first day of your Architecture 3001 course and going over the syllabus. You look it over, and are surprised to find that the professor has the entire class going to see Jessica Lang Dance at Northrop on a Saturday night. With Northrop’s new program, Northrop Across Campus, we hope to not only make this possible, but to make it a common occurrence.
Northrop Across Campus is a program that encourages University of Minnesota faculty and staff to incorporate our season events into the classroom discussion and exploration by providing complimentary tickets for entire classes to attend performances. The Northrop Across Campus Guide provides faculty and staff with an Academic Directory to each of our 2015//2016 Dance Season events.
Through this guide, professors can easily see how to connect the performance to their class subject matter using a list of applicable themes and topics. They are also provided with ways to discover more about each piece being performed, and are provided a few questions to help students and staff reflect and keep the conversation going after the show is over. We are thrilled to provide this wonderful opportunity.
Another exciting opportunity for students is our new U-Create program. U-Create helps students fully realize a creative initiative by helping resolve financial limitations. The program offers scholarships to cover some rental costs for the Carlson Family Stage, Best Buy Theater, Hubbard Broadcasting Rehearsal Studio, and Ellie and Tom Crosby Seminar Room. Whether they are looking to produce their own dance performance, chamber recital, or even a fashion show, we want students to be able to be creative using Northrop’s spaces. You can find the application here.
There are plenty of exciting new programs for students who just want to attend a performance, too. Beginning this year, we are providing first-year students one free ticket to any Northrop Dance Season event. This First-Year Free Ticket includes not only freshmen, but all first-year graduate, professional, and first-year transfer students as well. The ticket can be reserved at the box office any time during a student’s first year here at the University of Minnesota.
If you aren’t a first-year student, don’t worry! Rapid Rush is now available to all U of M students for events not included in the 2015//2016 Northrop Dance Season. This includes things like popular concerts, lectures, and comedians. Starting 30 minutes before the event, students can buy a Rapid Rush ticket (1 or 2 tickets, depending on the event) for $20 (inclusive of fees). Since these tickets are based on availability and vary depending on the event, be sure to keep a close eye on our Facebook page and the individual event page so you don’t miss out on a great deal!
Last but not least, Northrop is offering a free, outdoor concert series on the Plaza this fall. Student Sound celebrates student talent by showcasing student artists during the lunch hour for the University community to enjoy. It’s a great way to relax and have some fun between classes. Come join us!