This Week at SOTA
NKU School of the Arts - Aug. 14, 2020
Presenting the SOTA Community Showcase Atrium
Faculty News
Amy Gillingham was awarded the 2020 College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Junior Faculty Award. Amy is Assistant Professor of Cello and Director of Orchestras at NKU and this fall, she is stepping into the inaugural role of Corbett Endowed Principal of Strings. In this position, Amy will develop an artistic vision for the Strings Area, perform with the Corbett Trio, recruit new string students, and work with guest artists in an effort to “inspire students to listen to classical music, to enroll in string instruction, and generally to become life-long supporters of the arts.”
Alumni Spotlight: Tyler Reed
Tyler Reed (BA VCD, 2014) was accepted into the Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund — a program extended to give relief to creatives during the pandemic. Reed will be spending the month of August creating while using a beta version of Adobe Illustrator for iPad. Adobe selects creators for the program who are, “passionate about creating personally fulfilling work, sharing their journeys, and activating fellow creatives to craft the careers they want by empowering them with knowledge.” Tyler is the creative mind behind the Rude Pets Club — a series of humorously illustrated creature characters. Reed was also interviewed about his work by Cincinnati Refined in May, and appeared on CincyLifestyle in June. In addition to his RPC work, Reed is an illustrator for Brill Creative.
Alumni Spotlight: Kat Wolf
Kat Wolf (BA Integrative Studies Creative Arts, 2016) recently opened Northern Kentucky Dancewear (NKY Dancewear) just three minutes from NKU! The mission of Northern Kentucky Dancewear is to serve the dancing and performing arts community in order for all performers, teachers, and students to find quality products and superior service. We provide onsite fittings, delivery and support to studios and the performing arts community. We are committed to supporting the arts within Cincinnati, and foster individuals who are confident, competent and growing while learning the art of dance. Northern Kentucky Dancewear provides dancers the availability of quality products and services every single day at affordable prices.
Kat was a part of the NKU Athletics Dance Team, a member of the NKU SOTA Dance Tour Troupe, and involved in numerous faculty dance concerts as well as showcasing her own choreography. She also founded the Emerging Choreographers Showcase (ECS); a fully student-run production to increase visibility of choreographers. Studying within SOTA allowed Kat to pursue all avenues of her arts abilities and passions!
Alumni Spotlight: William Lommel
Calling All Alumni!
Share your story with us! If you graduated from any SOTA program, we would love to hear from you! Fill out our Alumni Update form and you may be featured on our website and other publications!
SOTA’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Starting with the very earliest cave paintings, stories, rhythms, and coordinated movements, the visual and performing arts have been integral to humanity’s understanding and exploration of our place in the world. Artists have always been, at a fundamental level, story-tellers. Through visual art, music, theatre, and dance, art can shine a light to illuminate, dissect, discuss, question, and confront society’s issues. The stories we choose to tell can celebrate and reflect society or even garner the power to transform our culture. Great works of art, music, theatre, and dance have challenged our perception of events, revealed truth, and changed the course of history. The School of the Arts at NKU is proud to be a part of this continuum as we reflect upon and rededicate our mission to transform the lives of our students and our community through the power of an arts education.
In the wake of national protests and civil unrest throughout the summer of 2020 following more blatant instances of systemic injustice across our country, the School of the Arts at NKU will continue to be intentional about the stories we tell as artists and the range of viewpoints we present as educators. In our hiring practices, guest artist invitations, production season, gallery shows, and performances, we will continue to seek broad and inclusive representation. In our classrooms and all other creative instructional spaces, we will continue to foster a safe, open, and inclusive environment that is respectful of a broad range of viewpoints, identities, and artistic approaches. Finally, we will continue to actively support development opportunities of our faculty, staff, administrators, and students as we work toward NKU’s goal of ensuring that the principles and practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded into all aspects of university life.
We understand that words alone are not sufficient to create lasting change, inclusivity for all, and safe spaces in which to create. A statement is only as good as the action that follows. Conversations have already shifted toward action and will continue in search of ways large and small that will support our vision of a safe, open, and inclusive School of the Arts.
Connect with Us
Email: sota@nku.edu
Website: nku.edu/sota/covid19
Location: Northern Kentucky University, Louie B Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, USA
Phone: (859) 572-5879
Facebook: facebook.com/nkusota
Twitter: @nkusota