May 13, 2008

CSU Summer Arts will bring 20 public events and a dozen student culminations to the central San Joaquin Valley’s cultural calendar in July when the program is hosted by California State University, Fresno for the ninth consecutive year.

It’s the 22nd anniversary season for CSU Summer Arts, a month-long program of intensive two-week master classes and public entertainment in a variety of artistic disciplines.

Sessions July 1-14 and July 15-28 are taught by artists renowned in their fields, who appear in public concerts, lectures or presentations, all available at low cost. Each session ends with its own event, offered free to the general public.

The first session’s performance schedule provides some idea of the diversity CSU Summer Arts makes available to participants and to the community. All are on the Fresno State campus except as noted:

• July 1 – Kickoff dance performance by nicolasleichterdance – combining contemporary, social and street styles.

• July 2 – Lecture by comic book artist Trina Robbins discussing her 30-year career as a woman cartoonist creating superheroines.

• July 3 – Fresno County Youth Choir directed by Robert Bullwinkle.

• July 5 – Director, screenwriter and producer Terry Zwigoff lectures on creating documentary films such as “Ghost World” and “Art School Confidential.”

• July 6 – Performance by New York’s Mabou Mines, avant-garde theater group.

• July 7 – Theater lecture and a theater/comedy performance by the Second City improvisational comedy troupe.

• July 8 – Public art lecture and panel discussion led by artists and landscape architects to discuss current trends in public art.

• July 9 – Internationally renowned installation artist, environmental artist, painter and sculptor Lita Albuquerque lectures at the Fresno Art Museum on her recent installation in Antarctica.

• July 11 – Concert by classical guitarist Steve Thachuk and flutist Sarah Wass.

• July 12-13 – Student culminations.

The full performance calendar, ticket information and other details are available online at www.csusummerarts.org or by calling 559.241.6090.