April 19-20: Fear No Art Festival celebrates 25 years

The art disciplines come together for an annual two-day celebration this April at the Fear No Art Festival. Join the event’s 25th anniversary at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20 on the Mainstage Theatre of the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, at the College of Lake County’s (CLC) Grayslake Campus.

An event like no other, the annual Fear No Art Festival is a lively celebration featuring a variety of emerging choreographers, dancers, musicians, singers, actors, photographers, artists, graphic designers and poets. This festival plays a vital role in supporting the artistic development and work of both CLC college students and community artists at large.

“When I started at the college 25 years ago and imagined the inaugural Fear No Art Festival, I was hopeful the show would be an annual tradition,” said Dance Instructor and Artistic Director Valerie Alpert. “With approximately 800 performing and visual art participants, 10,000 audience members, and one online festival, I feel confident the festival has delivered.”

The opening performance will be by a select few from the Round Lake High School Varsity Winter Guard. A team of 16, they travel the Midwest and compete in the Midwest Color Guard Circuit in the National A Class, as well as Winter Guard International.

Charlotte Flood, a current CLC student from Island Lake studying psychology, is performing dances for the second year in a row. Flood was a trained dancer growing up, and Fear No Art provided an opportunity to get back on stage.

“For both performers and attendees, it’s a great chance to enjoy many different forms of art,” Flood said. “Someone who might only be into dance doesn’t always see people who are great at drawing and singing. Everyone can showcase what they have, and everyone can appreciate it.”

Other performances include:

• Rockin’ and Movin’, choreographed by Ben Torres
• Changes, spoken word written and performed by Savanna Paterno
• Just a Drop, choreographed by Jianni Newsome
• Turtle Roadkill, written and performed by Alecs Juarez and Daniel Shaye

Visual artists displaying their work include:

• Tara Adler-Henevich, photography
• Sarah Amrozowicz, pencil drawing and painting
• George Giese, photography
• Heather Perkins, mixed media
• Michael Smulkowski, ink

Buy your tickets online in advance at www.jlcenter.clcillinois.edu. Tickets are $12, or $10 for students, seniors 65+ and military and $5 for children under 12.