When is the festival? The entire month of October! October has been declared by our nation as the month to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of the arts and humanities in our communities and our lives.
What is the purpose of this festival? The purpose or mission of the festival is to celebrate, acknowledge, and examine into the world of ideas as they are expressed in the arts and the humanities.
What are the 'humanities'? This is a frequently asked question! We refer to the Michigan Humanities Council definition:
The Humanities are ways of thinking about what is human about our diverse histories, values, ideas, words and dreams. They help to shape individuality and community, and thus pose fundamental questions about the past, present and future. The humanities inspire us to ask who we are and what our lives should mean. They ask us to place ourselves in the worldwide context of human kind and to understand commonalties and differences.
Why a 'theme'? Each year a theme is selected to 'examine'. The theme brings the various arts and humanities groups together with the community to join in a common endeavor to explore the world of ideas. This year's theme is Art & Entertainment.
What are some 'highlights' of this year's festival? Many projects and events have been planned to help examine the theme Art & Entertainment. Consider the following:
The Festival Book selection – Sailing Alone Around the Room by Billy Collins
‘Festival Fish’ Art Project - the community based public arts project showcasing local artists. ‘The Fish’ is being celebrated this year, hoping to get people hooked on the arts and the humanities. Watch for the dozen fish ‘floating’ around our community!
Kick Off Event: An Evening with Billy Collins – U.S. Poet Laureate, Wednesday, October 4th, 7:00 p.m. at the Frauenthal Center, downtown Muskegon.
Theme Art Exhibit- Home Entertainment Systems by Peter Williams, Overbrook Art Gallery, Muskegon Community College, September 25 –November 3, 2006.
Theme Speaker-Moralism in Art: Speilberg’s “Munich” and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Raja Halwani, Associate Professor School of the Art Institute of Chicago, October 12th, 7:00 p.m., Stevenson Center, Room 1100, Muskegon Community College.
Also pick up the Calendar of Events, available in September, with detailed information on the various speakers, panels, performances, exhibits, films and interviews that you can attend.
