Arts First

ARTS FIRST is an annual arts festival held at Harvard University over four days at the end of the spring semester. It includes live performances (music, dance, theater, poetry readings, comedy, fashion, and more) as well as art exhibitions and art-making activities. It was founded by alum John Lithgow and Office for the Arts Director Myra Mayman in 1994 to honor the artistic community at Harvard, and is run by Harvard's Office for the Arts (OFA).[1] The festival is a public event and many of the events are free.

Participation

All Harvard affiliates (undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae) may apply to perform and exhibit artwork during ARTS FIRST. Performing ensembles may include non-Harvard affiliates, as long as at least one performer is a Harvard affiliate.[2]

The festival involves up to 2,000 artists, giving over 100 performances and exhibitions.[3]

Volunteers are recruited to assist in running the festival. They are not required to be affiliated with Harvard University.[2]

Participant funding

Some funding is provided for selected Public Art projects in Harvard Yard. ARTS FIRST Performance Fair performances are directly given a free venue, publicity, and production support, instead of funding.[2]

Performances

The Performance Fair includes opera,[4] dance,[5] music of many genres,[6] stand-up and improv comedy, theater, poetry and experimental performances.

Public art

The festival includes exhibitions of public art in Harvard Yard and other locations around the campus. Works include sculpture, installations, or installations with performance/video components and film/video.[7]

Student projects that are selected for exhibition in Harvard Yard receive supporting guidance from a professional visual artist.[2]

Harvard Arts Medal

The Harvard Arts Medal is an annual award established in 1995 to recognize: "excellence and demonstrated achievement in the arts by a Harvard or Radcliffe alumnus/a or faculty member."[8] The medal is given to an individual who has achieved distinction in the arts and who has made a special contribution to the good of the arts, to the public good in relation to the arts, or to education.[9] It is awarded on the recommendation of a committee of (Harvard) faculty, alumni and administrators, by the Office of Governing Boards and the President of Harvard.

During a 2012 interview discussing his part in initiating the Harvard ARTS FIRST annual festival, John Lithgow said: "In 1995, I proposed the Harvard Arts Medal. The idea was to celebrate the fact that, although it’s rare, Harvard men and women do go into the creative arts."[10]

The recipient of the annual Harvard Arts Medal is announced during the course of the festival.[11]

Recipients
Arts Medal yearRecipient
1995Jack Lemmon ‘47
1996Pete Seeger ‘40
1997Bonnie Raitt ‘72
1998John Updike ‘54
1999David Hays ‘52
2000John Harbison ‘60
2001Peter Sellars ‘80
2002William Christie ‘66
2003Mira Nair ‘79
2004Yo-Yo Ma ‘76
2005Maxine Kumin ‘46
2006Christopher Durang ‘71
2007John Adams ’69 MA ‘72
2008Joshua Redman '91
2009Fred Ho '79 and John Ashbery '49
2010Catherine Lord '70
2011Susan Meiselas Ed.M. ’71
2012Tommy Lee Jones '69
2013Matt Damon '92
2014Margaret Atwood AM '62, Litt.D. '04
2015Damian Woetzel MPA '07[12]
2016Frank Gehry GSD '57 ArD '00
2017John Lithgow '67 & '07[13]
2018Colson Whitehead '91[14]
2019Tracy K. Smith '94[9][15]
2022Rubén Blades LL.M. '85[16]
2023Adrian Margaret Smith Piper AM ’77, PhD ’81[17]

[8]

References
  1. "Harvard Gazette Arts First at 25". Harvard University Gazette. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  2. "Arts First FAQ". Harvard University Office for the Arts. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  3. "Celebrating the Arts at Harvard". Harvard Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  4. "Harvard College Opera". harvardcollegeopera.com. Harvard College Opera. Archived from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  5. "Harvard Ballet Company". Harvard Ballet Company. Archived from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  6. "ARTS FIRST at the Harvard Art Museums: Music in the Courtyard". artsboston.org. Arts Boston. Archived from the original on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  7. "ARTS FIRST at the Harvard Art Museums: Direct Animation & Cameraless Filmmaking Materials Lab Workshop". www.harvardartmuseums.org. Harvard Art Museums. Archived from the original on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  8. "Harvard Arts Medal". ofa.fas.harvard.edu. Harvard University. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  9. "Alumna Tracy K. Smith '97 Awarded Harvard Arts Medal". Columbia University School of the Arts. Columbia University. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  10. "Q&A: John Lithgow Talks Arts First". The Harvard Crimson. The Harvard Crimson, Inc. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  11. "Harvard ARTS FIRST Festival". The Boston Calendar. Archived from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  12. "Office of the President at the Juliard School". The Juliard School. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  13. "John Lithgow picks up an award at Harvard". The Boston Globe. Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  14. "Vision for 'Underground Railroad' brought out the best in Colson Whitehead". The Harvard Gazette. Harvard University Gazette. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  15. "Tracy K. Smith '94 accepts Harvard Arts Medal". The Harvard Gazette. Harvard University Gazette. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  16. "Rubén Blades (finally!) receives Harvard Arts Medal". The Harvard Gazette. Harvard University Gazette. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  17. "Artist Adrian Piper to receive Harvard Arts Medal". The Harvard Gazette. Harvard University Gazette. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
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