Several student clubs have an arts focus, including clubs that administer arts spaces on campus, publish or broadcast arts content, produce arts events and conduct classes.
The following list is by no means complete. For a full list of student clubs visit the student government budget website.
Spaces
SMOG is a student run events space primarily used for concerts and band practice. Students can book the space and organize their own shows. The SMOG club is primarily responsible for space and equipment administration, not programming.
The Root Cellar is a student-run multipurpose space that serves as a vegan cafe and venue for small shows, workshops, movie screenings and club meetings. It also houses a lending library and one of the largest zine libraries on the East coast. It is located in the basement of Stone Row. During the summer of 2009 the space occupied by The Root Cellar was drastically reduced, eliminating the space occupied by the zine library. For more information, email rootcellar@riseup.net.
The Old Gym is a black box theatre for student productions. Bard has an active scene of student produced/written/directed plays. The Old Gym is not student run and until 2004 was the location of what was to become SMOG. (As a side note not related to The Old Gym….did you know that Steely Dan’s two founders met at Bard? Did you know that Chevy Chase was in a band with them here?)
Publications / Broadcasts
Bard Free Press is the student newspaper. Produced monthly, the paper includes cultural news from the campus and local community and reproduces student artwork on the cover and within.
The Moderator: Bard College’s Sexual Politics Magazine is produced twice a year. The magazine is a hybrid of literary magazine, feminist/queer/sex-positive academic journal and soft core porno mag. (Is soft core supposed to be hyphenated?) The current issue features articles entitled Onania, Positive Porn, Beyond the Rainbow and Transgender Romance & The Myth of Loveless Sex with accompanying photo-spreads by five photographers.
WXBC is Bard’s student radio station. From the WXBC website…”WXBC is Bard College’s student-run, free-form, uncensored radio station. We provide original broadcasting to the campus and the surrounding community for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the academic year…Traditionally, time slots are 2 hours, once a week. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all encouraged to apply…Bard College Radio was founded in 1947 as a Senior Project and has gone through many incarnations since.”
Events / Classes
Bard Student Reading Series produces events twice a month where 2-3 students read their own works. A booklet is produced for each event featuring further writings by the students who present.
The Surrealist Training Circus has been active for over 5 years. Producing a circus event each spring featuring student performers, the circus also conducts workshops on various circus skills. The apocalypse features mightily on the list of the circus’ concerns.
The Dance Club produces a 24 hour dance festival as well as holding many dance classes and workshops throughout the year.
[posted by: Dylan Peet]
