GMU College of Visual & Performing Arts Alumni

09/25/2020

Tomorrow is the day!

A Celebration of ARTS by George!
Saturday, September 26
7:00 – 8:00 pm EDT
Watch live on GMU-TV: https://gmutv.gmu.edu/live-broadcast/
Watch live on social media: https://www.facebook.com/gmucfa

The free virtual event streamed live on GMU-TV will look back at the tremendous success of 14 years of Mason’s annual ARTS by George! event that has raised $1.7 million in scholarship and program support since it began in 2006.

Hear from 13 College of Visual and Performing Arts alumni making their mark in creative industries around the world and meet Mason student artists who continue to thrive despite major financial and artistic challenges due to COVID-19.

George Mason University School of Art George Mason University School of Dance Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music George Mason University Arts Management Program Film at Mason Mason Community Arts Academy Doc Nix & The Green Machine Mason Game Design Program

09/10/2020

Creatives Helping Creatives | Emergent Seed

DC area alumni artists: Round two of Emergent Seed mirco grants open through October 9!

microgrants for writers and composers, funding for DC's creative artists, creatives helping creatives, Emergent Seed, DC's community of makers, Welcome to Emergent Seed

09/08/2020

Safe Return to the Classroom

A new song and dance for CVPA students!

A new song and dance for the performing arts.

08/28/2020

Congrats to Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music alumnus and faculty member Victor Provost for being announced as one of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's 2020-2021 Jazz Touring Network Engagements!

https://www.midatlanticarts.org/jazz-touring-network/

08/04/2020

CVPA alumni panelist spotlight: Claire Kelly (MA, 2006)
Leading Patriots: Arts and Entertainment
Wednesday, August 5 at 2 pm EDT
Free | Register: https://bit.ly/LeadingPatriots

Arts Management alumna Claire Kelly is Head of Exhibitions at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. She will discuss museum/gallery operations including revenue, installations, and attendance.

George Mason University Arts Management Program

08/03/2020

Leading Patriots: Arts and Entertainment
Wednesday, August 5 at 2 pm EDT
Free | Register: https://bit.ly/LeadingPatriots
Panelist Spotlight: Sara Ramaker

Mason alumna Sara Ramaker (Theater, ’93) was a longtime Hollywood talent agent representing high-profile clients including Snoop Dog, Zoe Kravitz, and will.i.am, and is now COO of i.am.MEDIA. She will discuss COVID’s impact on film and TV production and live events.

Film at Mason College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University George Mason University Arts Management Program

08/03/2020

Leading Patriots: Arts and Entertainment
Wednesday, August 5 at 2 pm EDT
Free | Register: https://bit.ly/LeadingPatriots

This week, CVPA alumni on the East Coast and West Coast join Mason’s new Leading Patriot series featuring accomplished alumni discussing COVID impact and response across various industries. The arts and entertainment episode this Wednesday, August 5 at 2 pm EDT features Claire Kelly (Head of Exhibitions, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery) and Sara Ramaker (COO, i.am.MEDIA).

The halt of film and TV production, live events, and public gatherings leaves arts and entertainment as one of the last industries to resume business as usual. Hear from two Leading Patriots discussing challenges and opportunities of artists, producers, and venues adapting how they create and deliver content.

Film at Mason

07/01/2020

Today marks a new chapter for Mason as Dr. Gregory Washington becomes our eighth president. Welcome, Dr. Washington!

Join Dr. Washington from 6:00-700 pm EDT for a special community engagement session on GMU-TV with Mason's Alumni Association: https://gmutv.gmu.edu/live-broadcast/

06/30/2020

George Mason University

Concluding Pride Month with a profile of Computer Game Design student Andrew O’Hanlon (he/they).

Mason’s Pride Trivia Night begins in less than 10 minutes! https://bit.ly/38fYzGC

We continue our Pride Month 🏳️‍🌈 profiles with Andrew O’Hanlon (he/they). Andrew loves board games. He calls his collection “massive,” and his club is called Board Gaymers. It’s a way to have fun, and it’s open to anyone. But at its core it is a way to strengthen ties in the LGBTQ+ community. Read More >> https://bit.ly/31kXn35

06/29/2020

For Mason junior, it's all about creating community

School of Music student Fe Miranda shares their Mason experience as part of Mason’s #PrideMonth.

Don’t forget to register for tomorrow evening’s Pride Trivia Night! https://bit.ly/38fYzGC

Photo provided.

06/25/2020

Celebrate #Pride month with Pride Trivia Night on Tuesday, June 30 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM EDT

In the spirit of #Pride month and celebrating our
Mason community, join fellow alumni, students, and faculty/staff on 🗓 TUESDAY, JUNE 30th for a trivia night! Register at: https://bit.ly/AlumniPrideTrivia

We'll kick off trivia with some networking and storytelling from your hosts and alumni, then roll into interactive trivia with various categories including Pride month, entertainment, sound clips, travel, and current events. We can't wait to see you (virtually) in your Mason and Pride attire and ready for some friendly competition!

George Mason University Alumni Association Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education GMU Mason LGBTQ Resources

06/02/2020

To our community.

In the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University, we have long proclaimed that the arts create community. We restate it now in full awareness that the very concept of community is under challenge in ways both new and distressingly old. We restate it now in order to express solidarity with and support for members of our community who are, and have been, suffering disproportionately.

When part of our community is hurting, we all hurt. Or we should.

Continue reading: https://bit.ly/3039hhA

05/29/2020

Mason Virtual Film Festival 2020 Promo

TOMORROW → Film at Mason presents the Virtual Mason Film Festival from 9 a.m. to midnight. The showcase features works by many student filmmakers, produced despite the complexities brought on by the COVID-19 crisis.

Film @ Mason is Proud to Present ‘The Virtual Mason Film Festival.’ The films included in this showcase are the result of the handwork of so many filmmakers,…

05/28/2020

$500 microgrant program for writers and composers in the DC region – check out Emergent Seed!

Video submission due June 15: emergent-seed.org/

Funding available in four categories: poetry, storytelling (including micro plays), song & lyrics (including musical theater), and instrumental music (classical and jazz)

MASON JAZZ MASON JAZZ VOICE Mason Players School of Music at George Mason University GMU Alpha Psi Omega- Alpha Zeta Upsilon Cast

05/18/2020

Alumni Cocktails and Conversations: Promoting and Sharing your Art During Social Distancing

Just two months ago artists across all disciplines responded to sudden cancellations of public gatherings by using technology and non-traditional methods to deliver their work. This final CVPA Alumni Cocktails and Conversations with the Dean features CVPA alumni Mildred Maria Langford, Scott Allen Rinker, and Cristina Alicea discussing new ways they are sharing and promoting their work, and why the arts are more important now than ever.

05/18/2020

Even though it’s only Monday, how about an honorary #throwbackthursday? Here’s a photo of cast members from Two Gentlemen of Verona (Spring 1994), courtesy of Scott Allen Rinker.

Join Scott along with School of Theater alumni Mildred Marie Langford and Cristina Alicea for a special Alumni Cocktails and Conversations with the Dean today at 5:00 PM EDT. Streaming at Facebook.com/CVPAalumni.

GMU Alpha Psi Omega- Alpha Zeta Upsilon Cast Friends of Theater at Mason Mason Players

05/11/2020

Alumni Cocktails and Conversations with the Dean: New Realities in the Business of the Arts

Marketing and fundraising are competitive in normal times, but arts organizations of all sizes face tremendous challenges during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Join your fellow alumni to share strategies and opportunities for sustaining operations during this unprecedented time.

Scheduled alumni panelists include Jenn Harris (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company), Hilary Judis (Studio Theatre), Erika Scott (Ford's Theater), and Emily Travis (Theater Development Fund).

05/11/2020

Career Services will waive virtual appointment fees for alumni who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Alumni may call the University Career Services office at 703-993-2370 or send an email to [email protected] to schedule a virtual appointment.

careers.gmu.edu/alumni

05/05/2020

College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University

Happening now! School of Dance alumna Lelia Mire discusses her (in-progress) work exploring the Ballet Russe's 1910 ballet "Scheherazade" that recently earned her a Young Alumni Commissioning Award from Mason's College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Join Linda Miller, Professor of Dance History in George Mason University’s School of Dance, for a conversation with dancer, choreographer, and alumnus Leila Mire, live on the Center for the Arts page. Leila is a recent 2020 award recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Award for her (in-progress) work exploring the Ballet Russe's 1910 ballet, "Scheherazade" as a product of imagined colonialist and orientalized renderings of a created "Other." This discussion will center around Leila's research process, how that goes from idea to performance over the course of the next year, and include video samples. Tune in and ask Leila your questions about her new piece!

05/05/2020

Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day and we acknowledge our alumni who are making a difference in the classroom every day! #masonarts #masonalumni #nationalteacherappreciationday

05/04/2020

Alumni Cocktails and Conversations: Using Your Creative Arts Degree Outside of the Creative Industries

A college degree in the arts provides an exceptional skill set, solid work ethic, and opportunity for intense study of a creative passion. Hear from CVPA alumni Sean Attebury, Aundi Moore, and Isaac W.K. Thweatt who have successfully parlayed their arts training into industries and positions outside of the arts.

04/22/2020

Announcing Alumni Cocktails and Conversations with the Dean!

Creative industry careers are arguably some of the most challenging in normal times, and the COVID-19 outbreak brings a new level of challenge. Whether you’re a freelancer losing work, a teacher new to virtual instruction, or an arts administrator cancelling programming, we face uncertainty but also opportunities to conduct our work in new ways.

Join College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) Dean Rick Davis and your fellow alumni for a weekly series on Monday evenings showcasing CVPA alumni across the world plus career resources for multiple art forms and roles in the arts. The series is part of CVPA’s Mason Arts at Home initiative.

Ep. 1: Series Intro
Mon, Apr 27, 5:00 – 6:00 PM EST
Watch on Zoom: https://bit.ly/2Y5NWTN

Ep. 2: Using Your Creative Arts Degree Outside of the Creative Industries
Mon, May 4, 5:00 – 6:00 PM EST
Watch on Facebook Live: @CVPAalumni

Ep. 3: New Realities in the Business of the Arts
Mon, May 11, 5:00 – 6:00 PM EST
Watch on Facebook Live: @CVPAalumni

Ep. 4: Promoting and Sharing Your Work During Social Distancing
Mon, May 18, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
Watch on Facebook Live: CVPAalumni

School of Music at George Mason University George Mason University School of Art George Mason University School of Dance George Mason University Arts Management Program Film at Mason

04/22/2020

TODAY at 1:00 PM EST, Visiting Filmmakers Series Online: In Conversation with Film at Mason alumni Katy Crain and Erblin Nushi.

For instructions to join, visit: https://vfs.gmu.edu/events/10927

Born in Peja Kosovo in 1992, Erblin started acting at ten years old. He earned his B.A. from George Mason University where he studied film with a concentration in directing, and a minor in photography. His short film, BINI, won multiple jury prize and audience awards, a Regional Student Emmy Award, and was nominated for a Student Academy Award. Erblin is currently developing his debut feature film titled “I Love You More” which so far has been awarded funding from Kosovo Cinematography Center and Albanian National Cinematography Center.

Born and raised in Illinois, Katy Crain moved to Virginia a week after graduating high school. She earned her B.A. from George Mason University, with a concentration in producing, in 2018. While in school, Katy began her freelancing as a production assistant. Her first job was on Ava DuVernay's Oscar- and Emmy-winning documentary, 13th. She continued her career working on sets for Braindead, Jason Bourne, Late Night with Seth Meyers, VEEP, and more. Upon graduating from George Mason University, she started working as an office production assistant on the set of Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 1984, set to premiere in 2020. This position led to her job working for Atlas Entertainment in Los Angeles, California.

#VoiceYourVision #FilmAtMason #filmmaker #visitingfilmmakersseries #documentary #binishortfilm #filmdirector #filmproducer #alumni #LAlife #Masonalumni #gmualumni

All Visiting Filmmakers Series events will be recorded. Participants can control visibility by muting video and audio

04/20/2020

Episode 1: Hi, Penguins!

CVPA alumna Rebecca Wahls (’11, Theater) is the first recipient of the Mason Alumni Artist Support Initiative’s Fund for Digital Content! The award supports the premiere of her web series Rebecca and Becca in Space. Watch the George Mason University's Center for the Arts page today at 12:00 noon for the live launch party, and stream episodes 1-3!

Hi, Penguins! Rebecca and Becca's broadcast is rudely interrupted when received some troubling news from the government... #missioncanceled Rebecca and Becca...

04/16/2020

Visiting Filmmakers Series Online

Film at Mason is taking its Visiting Filmmakers Series online this month with online conversations and Q&As with filmmakers, including several Film at Mason alumni: Tony Marquez (’12), Kwanza Gooden (’13), Katy Crain (13’) and Erblin Nushi (’18).

April 2020 See list of events at right >>> Throughout April, the Visiting Filmmakers Series at Mason offers a series of online...

04/16/2020

Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Recipients Announced

Congratulations to our 2020 Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Recipients!

Young Alumni Commissioning Award: Leila Mire ('18), George Mason University School of Dance

Young Alumni Creative Development Award: Kevin Elam (’14), School of Music at George Mason University

Young Alumni Creative Development Award: Donovan Jones (’18), Film at Mason

George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) has announced the second round of Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Recipients. The three alumni were chosen based on the artistic excellence, career impact, and feasibility of their proposals and will receive financial, m...

04/09/2020

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR CVPA ALUMNI!

In the wake of COVID-19, our alumni artists are suffering sudden and extreme financial losses due to cancelled or postponed performances, exhibitions, and freelance opportunities. As they have been so vital in building a vibrant and creative community, we want to reciprocate their contributions in this time of unprecedented need.

Through the Alumni Artist Support Initiative, the College of Visual and Performing Arts will provide a select number of its alumni with grants of $500 for digital content and $1,000 for the commissioning of new works.

Full details and eligibility: https://cvpa.gmu.edu/news/584406

George Mason University School of Art School of Music at George Mason University George Mason University School of Dance Mason Players George Mason University Arts Management Program Film at Mason

04/03/2020

Thank you to all of our alumni who gave yesterday! We are truly touched by your generosity. We hope that all of our alumni are staying safe and well during these times.

A tremendous thank you to everyone who participated in Giving Day yesterday. Collectively, Mason received 1,633 donations and raised $269,926!

The need for arts in our lives and the need to support our students is ongoing. We hope you'll join us for more #MasonArtsAtHome programming, and consider donating to the Student Emergency Assistance fund: bit.ly/2ymwDTn.

04/02/2020

2020 Alumni Artist Support Initiative | College of Visual and Performing Arts

As part of #PatriotsHelpingPatriots and #MasonArtsatHome, CVPA is commissioning work from young alumni to share virtually and next year in person. Spread the word Mason Nation! https://cvpa.gmu.edu/news/584406

2020 Alumni Artist Support Initiative March 26, 2020 See All News Latest News All RSS 2020 Alumni Artist Support Initiative March 26, 2020 Sponsor Highlight: Amazon Web Services March 26, 2020 Thanks for Celebrating with Us! March 26, 2020 The Show Must Go On-line: Veterans and the Arts Initiative G...