The Creative Life 

Tony award-winning tap dancer-choreographer Savion Glover.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 12, 2016) – What happens when different groups come together to celebrate the University at Albany's vibrant arts scene?

The result is The Creative Life, a new conversation series in the arts that will bring two major American artists to campus this fall: fiction writer Joyce Carol Oates, and tap dancer-choreographer Savion Glover.

Oates presented before a large (about 400) and enthusiastic audience at the Performing Arts Center Main Theatre on Sept. 15.

Glover, a Tony award-winning choreographer this year for Shuffle Along Glover, will appear on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. at Page Hall. The event, like Oates's, is free and open to the public. Glover has made numerous appearances on "Sesame Street" and also performed the live capture dance moves for “Mumble,” the penguin in the Disney film Happy Feet (2006) and its 2011 sequel.

The Creative Life is an initiative of the New York State Writers Institute, the Performing Arts Center and the University Art Museum, all of which are housed at UAlbany. Presented by The University at Albany Foundation, the series will feature onstage interviews conducted by WAMC’s Joe Donahue with artists of national and international prominence in conversation about their creative inspiration, their craft and their careers. A question and answer period will close the programs.

“Our guests span the creative disciplines, including writing, music, dance, choreography, visual arts, architecture, theatre, and filmmaking,” said Janet Riker, director of the University Art Museum. “The series celebrates the depth and range of artistic practices, and explore what it means to dedicate one’s life to a creative pursuit.”

While the University’s three major cultural presenting organizations have worked together on a few specific events, this new initiative will expand and deepen that collaboration. “We are very excited about formalizing our partnership, which has resulted in several very successful collaborations in the past,” said Suzanne Lance, assistant director of the Writers Institute. “The interdisciplinary nature of The Creative Life series affirms the value of the arts in all our lives.”

The series was inspired by a similar event last spring when acclaimed choreographer Twyla Tharp visited UAlbany and was interviewed before a live audience. “The success of this format was readily apparent after that event,” said Kim Engel, assistant director of the Performing Arts Center.

“It was clear that audience members were eager to listen to this artist speak about her everyday life, her challenges, successes, hopes and dreams. It seemed logical to emulate that event and expand upon it, affording University and Capital Region audiences the opportunity to hear from and get to know additional artists of national and international acclaim.”

Additional events in the series are being planned for the spring of 2017.

Major support for The Creative Life is provided by The University at Albany Foundation, with additional support from the Office of the Provost, the College of Arts and Sciences and University Auxiliary Services.

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