March 2011

Francis Marion University in Florence, SC, Offers Celebration of the Arts - Mar. 31, 2012

Francis Marion University officials are making preparations now to host its annual celebration of the arts on Saturday, Mar. 31, 2012.

Arts International will take place from 10am to 5pm and is free and open to the public. This celebration of the visual and performing arts is for the whole family, with simultaneous performances at several different venues on campus.

The event, a union of Francis Marion University’s Art’s Alive and the Pee Dee International Festival, will take place on the FMU campus. Musical performances are scheduled at stages indoors and outdoors.

Featured on the international stage are the Chinese Acrobats for the Bureau of Lectures; Ngoma Za Kongo; and steel drummers, Pans In The Sand.

The Bay Street Brassworks, a nationally and internationally acclaimed touring brass quintet and the Palmetto Mastersingers, a choral group of more than 60 men, will perform in Kassab Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Center.

The Blues Buckets of the UK and Virginia; Professor Bottleneck & Harmonica Frank of Germany; Michael Charles Blues Band of Australia; The Rockin’ Jake Band of New Orleans; and Continental Divide of Charlotte, NC, will perform on the Blues/Beach Stage.

In addition, artists from all over the southeast region of the United States will be showing and selling their work at the festival. There will be oils, acrylics, pottery, woodwork, stained glass, jewelry, metalwork, photography, basketry and more.

Food vendors representing countries all over the world will be on hand and cultural booths will have displays featuring global history, businesses and organizations. Also participate in a sidewalk chalk art competition and a recycled reading book sale.

The annual Art Show and Sale will be held from 10am to 5pm during the festival as well. This one-day exhibition and sales event is designed to promote the quality of diverse artisans residing in the region. In addition to booths displaying items for sale, several sites will have artisans demonstrating their skills. The art show will be juried, with cash awards of $600, $300 and $150 awarded to first, second and third places, respectively.

For more information about the art show or Arts International, go to (www.fmarion.edu/news/artsinternational) or contact Kathy Johnson at the FMU Office of Public and Community Affairs at 843/661-1225, or e-mail at (kjohnson@fmarion.edu).

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