Engaging Culture Weekend April 23–25, 2015

Asbury University’s Engaging Culture Weekend will showcase concerts, special speakers, film screenings, workshops, art shows and the Highbridge Film Festival April 23-25.

The weekend kicks off Thursday, April 23, with Senior Art Exhibitions from the Asbury University Art Department by Ben Marchal (Ceramic Sculpture), Daniel Royster (Painting), Sarah Guinn (Ceramics) and Mary Beth Cunningham (Photography). Times and locations can be found on the schedule of events.

The weekend’s fine arts events will continue that same evening with an entertaining and diverse concert, Sounds of Stage and Screen, at 7:30 p.m. in Hughes Auditorium. Six student ensembles of the Asbury University Music Department will participate: Orchestra, Women’s Choir, Men’s Glee Club, Chorale, Handbell Choir, and Concert Band. The 90-minute program is free and open to the public.

Director of Bands Dr. Glen Flanigan notes that this event is a favorite both with audience members and student performers, “Our musicians enjoy the opportunity to perform repertoire from films and screen productions, and this event has for several years been a favorite with our campus and community audience."

The repertoire will be from a wide variety of productions, including Jurassic Park, Pride and Prejudice, Star Trek, and Shrek among many others.

On Friday, April 24, Erik Lokkesmoe, President of Aspiration Media, a film distribution company and the owner of Different Drummer, a premier marketing and publicity agency for studio and indie films will be the speaker for the Engaging Culture Weekend chapel.

Special communications, film and acting workshops will also be presented throughout the day on Friday April 24, by Peggy Kim, Jason Epperson, Kathy Campbell and Lokkesmoe. Unless otherwise stated, all workshops take place in the Screening Room on the third floor of the Miller Communications Center or The Greathouse Theater and are open to the public. You can find the schedule of events here.

The weekend will conclude with the 11th Annual Highbridge Film Festival in Hughes Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., April 25. Asbury alumni, friends, and the community are welcome to attend this highly anticipated event.

“This event could not take place without the incredible creativity and efforts of our students,” said Professor Greg Bandy. “Besides producing the event, we have numerous students creating the films for the actual program. I am still amazed at how many creative, hard-working people it takes to make this happen.”

The film festival is entirely produced and promoted through the combined efforts of the Communication Arts Department’s Special Events class. While the film festival honors the creativity and excellence in storytelling of Asbury’s student filmmakers, it is also open to submissions from high school students. The high school film winner’s entry will be screened at the festival and receive a $1,000 scholarship to attend Asbury.

Highbridge Film Festival is a community-wide event that is open to the public. The $15 admission price includes the film screenings, the award ceremony, and the Red Carpet Reception in the studio of the Miller Center for Communication Arts. Tickets for the event will be available to purchase on April 13 in the University's cafeteria during lunch and dinner hours or online.