Face paint, popsicle sticks, and other various crafts supplies covered tables on the Norris South Lawn Sunday afternoon for the fourth annualNorthwestern Community Development Corps (NCDC) ArtsFest. The event was an on-campus showcase of performance, interactive and display art produced by Evanston community members and Northwestern students.
A number of student organizations, including Slivka Residential College and the Delta Chi Fraternity, offered interactive art activities on the lawn outside of Norris. These activities ranged from making friendship bracelets to giving out henna tattoos.
“Our organization and event is not only outreach to the community and connect not only to Northwestern, but to Evanston as well,” said Kolby White, one of the three co-chairs of NCDC’s Special Events committee. “We want to make that connection between the school and Evanston.”
The goal of NCDC is to bridge the gap between the Northwestern student body and Evanston’s community. Tense relations between the two parties reached high levels earlier this year during the Brothelgate controversy.
“The concept is great and it’s a way for people to see a different side of students instead of what they read in the newspapers or see on the sidewalks at night,” said Rose Plomin, a Weinberg junior.
Programming was not limited to the lawn. On the ground floor of Norris, the artwork of Northwestern students and Evanston residents was on display. A wide range of groups performed, such as Brown Sugar a capella group and Giordano Dance Studio.
Ginger Jensen, Artistic Director of Renegade Dance Architects, also teaches dance classes at Evanston Athletic Club. She said she was glad to be at the event to perform, but also to promote her classes.
In her dance classes, Jensen teaches both older women of Evanston and Northwestern students. “I promote my classes not only to help me but to also bring the two communities together,” she said.
NCDC hopes events like ArtsFest will help bond the Northwestern and Evanston communities. Says Jensen, “This is a good step to bridging the gap.”