A studio and faculty member in a sculpture studio in The Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center's Studio Annex.
SUNY Fredonia can take a bow, thanks to how well it served future artists attending three New York State Summer School of the Arts programs.
Over 100 high school students from across the state received intensive, pre-professional training from internationally acclaimed artists in three New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) programs – School of Theatre, School of Media Arts and School of Visual Arts.
The Theatre and Visual Arts schools utilized the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center (RAC), while Media Arts students were at RAC and the Igoe Photography Studio.
For the first time in NYSSSA’s 42-year history, three NYSSSA schools were run simultaneously on the same host campus – providing a boon to all students.
“This has provided a wonderful opportunity for cross-collaboration and creative enrichment, as students are exposed not only to the work of their fellow classmates but also to other disciplines. Fredonia has always been a fantastic partner, allowing our program to flourish,” explained Lydia Kubiniec, a Los Angeles, CA-based television/film producer and director of Administration of the three programs.
SUNY Fredonia had a long tradition of hosting NYSSSA schools prior to the COVID pandemic, but this is the first time the School of Media Arts has been held on the campus.
Final student presentations, to be attended by parents of the students, will culminate the three weeks students were on campus.
On Friday, July 26, Visual Arts will hold its closing ceremony in the Robert W. Marvel Theatre from 11 to 11:30 a.m., followed by an exhibition in the Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery from noon to 2 p.m.
That same day, Media Arts will host events in the Emmitt Christian Art Gallery from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Photos will be displayed on gallery walls and Mac computers showing animation loops will be placed on pedestals. A 16 mm loop installation will be featured in the Costello Community Room. Film, video and animation students will have screenings in Marvel Theatre, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
The closing event of Theatre will be held on Saturday, July 27.
“This year, despite limited funding, we faced the unique challenge of finding the right SUNY campus to house multiple schools with the resources available. Fredonia has been incredibly supportive and welcoming of NYSSSA’s return, and met every challenge with us proactively and with shared enthusiasm for the student experience,” added Ms. Kubiniec, who has worked on and off with NYSSSA since 2013.
Fredonia was a great practical selection for NYSSSA for many reasons as well. Kubiniec rated the Rockefeller Arts Center as an “incredible facility” for meeting program needs. Its dance studios and theatre spaces, art studios and classrooms were all conducive to theatre, visual arts and media arts.
The proximity of the RAC and Igoe Hall to the residence hall where students were housed and Cranston Marché dining hall also made logical sense for the intensive schedules followed by students each day, Kubiniec noted.
“Fredonia’s campus strikes a perfect balance between offering a collegiate experience and maintaining a comfortable size with nearby amenities. This allows our students to step out of their comfort zones while still feeling at home, an invaluable combination for fostering their success at NYSSSA,” Kubiniec said.
The School of Theater, which enrolled 18 students, utilized dance studio rooms as well as Alice E. Bartlett Theatre. Special events and performances were held in Marvel Theatre.
This has provided a wonderful opportunity for cross-collaboration and creative enrichment, as students are exposed not only to the work of their fellow classmates but also to other disciplines. Fredonia has always been a fantastic partner, allowing our program to flourish.” - Lydia Kubiniec
Facilities utilized by the School of Media Arts and its 21 students included Igoe Hall, which is equipped with film labs and darkrooms used for film and photography classes, the Rockefeller Arts Center video and animation computer labs and filmmaking equipment, the Costello Community Room in the RAC Studio Complex and Marvel Theatre for lectures and guest artist presentations.
Traditional classrooms in the RAC, the Christian Gallery, the Marion Art Gallery and Marvel Theatre were the destinations for 62 students in the School of Visual Arts for lectures and special exhibitions.
The sizes of each school’s faculty ranged from five to 12; there were also a number of teaching assistants in visual arts and media arts. They are all accomplished artists, teachers and creatives in their own right with extensive credentials and backgrounds as filmmakers, digital media artists, visual artists, university professors, directors and actors, Kubiniec said.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. accompanied Fredonia President Stephen H. Kolison Jr. on a tour of the NYSSSA program on July 17 that included opportunities to talk to its students and faculty and tour RAC facilities.
