MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts Graduates to Host Book Festival and Performance, Final Event in Spring Reading Series, May 7
April 12, 2016
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Twenty-six students graduating from the University of Baltimore's M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program will present their thesis projects—books they wrote, designed and produced—on Saturday, May 7, during the final event in the University of Baltimore's 2016 Spring Reading Series. The Book Festival and Performance will take place between 1 and 5 p.m. on the fifth floor of the UB Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. It is free and open to the public.
The students will perform selections from their books and offer them for sale during the event. Three 45-minute shows will include readings, visual displays, and experimental performances. Between shows, attendees will be encouraged to browse the books, all of which include a handmade element and many of which are entirely handmade.
Amanda McCormick of Ink Press Productions says: "University of Baltimore's M.F.A. program encourages students to view books as physical objects, as art. The books that will be showcased at this event are the culmination of studying writing, design, and the art of hand making books."
This is a new format for the event, which celebrates graduating M.F.A. students' books annually.
"As our program grows, we wanted to reimagine the idea of a typical reading," says Kendra Kopelke, director of the MFA program. "Our program's philosophy is to embrace the connection between play and work. This year's event will embody that philosophy with its festival atmosphere."
The Spring Reading Series is presented by the M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts in the University of Baltimore's Klein Family School of Communications Design and sponsored by the Hearst Visiting Scholars Fund and the Klein Family Fund.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.