ArtsFest is Coming, Look Busy!

Yes the biggest event of the union calendar has arrived. And I don’t mean the Big Elections. ArtsFest sees our scientists’ paradise turned over to our Artistic under culture for a week of something different. The festivities this year include lunchtime concerts, an art exhibit, singing, dancing, comedy, colour, noise and fun. This will be at least the 5th ArtsFest, records go back to at least 2010; a time where, as far as ArtsFest was concerned, even the internet didn’t exist. But it’s been growing and learning every year. In my tenure as Arts and Ents chair I’ve already been impressed by so many talented clubs and societies performances and I really hope as many people as possible will seek out this showcase of what’s on offer.

The Blythe gallery, for those that don’t know about it is squeezed in on Sherfield level 5. It’s a lovely little arts space where PhotoSoc, LeoSoc and Calligraphy and Oriental Painting are putting on a show with the theme of masks for the whole length of the festival. I try to make a point of heading up there every now and then to see what’s about and to take a moment to notice that not every space at Imperial is used for a blackboard full of equations or some sort of lab, and ArtsFest is the perfect opportunity if you’ve not taken a look before, just drop by any time for a quick break or over lunch.

If you want something a little louder we have plenty to offer you. In one of, in my opinion, the better college decisions of late, we’ve been given the go ahead to shove IC Big Band out onto the balcony of the Queen’s Tower to blare out a few classics one lunch time (1pm Monday 24th). And for a slightly classier feel try the String Ensemble Concert in the Business School Foyer at lunch (12pm, 21st).

At the union itself, will be MTSoc and A Cappella showing off some of the highlights of their year so far as well as, if rumours are to be believed, a few special new numbers they’ve been working on (UCH, 7pm, 21st). But for me I’m particularly looking forward to the two final nights. On Wednesday the 26th we’ll be hosting the ArtsFest Showcase where dance and musical societies will be putting on an extravaganza and on the 27th in Metric will be the light hearted ArtsFest afterparty where we will have more dance, music, rock, and much more; hopefully including the newly minted Imperial College Comedy Soc as compéres and performers for the evening. Oh, and the bar will be open… but you’ll all only be going for the performances, right?

So yes, the clubs in the Arts and Ents board have been busy. I’ll probably be getting some hate mail now from the people I haven’t mentioned: ICSO and Choir off doing there epic performance of War Requiem at Winchester Cathedral for instance, and the Imperial Fringe Arts Experiment. So look busy, because what other excuse could you possibly have for not coming along? Oh and before you start claiming you’d rather spend your money on Snakebites in 568 everything going on on campus is going to be free, so that’s 100% of your hard earned student loan being put towards the universal lubricant of science and the arts.

So from Wednesday the 19th we are going to be going loud or going home all the way through to Thursday the 27th of February. Come get involved and make some noise!