The Office of the Arts provides grants every year to students who make new work for the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts. In 2009, more than 100 students and faculty participated in 21 dance, music, theater, and multidisciplinary projects. The Festival of the Arts will take place April 27 to May 2, 2010. The 2010 Grant Application deadline is 5 p.m., November 25, 2009. Catherine McConnell, '10, and Hannah Richman, '10, discuss their experience with the 2009 grants. JustArts: How did you find out about the grant?

Hannah Richman and Catherine McConnell: We became aware of the festival of the arts our freshman and sophomore years and were inspired by the works we saw. The festival provides an amazing opportunity for students to create a work of art outside the realm of classes and explore new ideas and mediums. We both don't know how we initially heard about the grants, but we [were] reminded of the opportunity by publicity from the office of the arts.

JA: Why did you apply for one?

HR and CM: We applied for a grant because we wanted to work on a project and create work that was separate from what we were doing in class. We also wanted to use art as a way to engage the Brandeis community in dialogue about what education means.

JA: What was your project?

HR and CM: We created a visual image that provided a commentary on the meaning of a Brandeis education through a mixed media sculpture. We constructed the structure of a flame, using student's notes to act as the embers of a fire. Notes that people take in class are a physical representation of the education that we get within the classroom. Thus, we took these notes, combined with fliers and student newspaper article, and created a college of them on a flame shaped plywood structure. Notes were crumbled in the bottom of the center of the work from which originated phrases, words, and comments that all come directly from the notes that we collected. These notes, doodles and profound and less profound thoughts also provided an unexpected lens through which we could try to understand a Brandeis education.

JA: How was the overall experience?

HR and CM: Creating this piece for the festival was a learning experience. While making it, we knew that we were not making artwork for the intention of display in a gallery. Instead, we had the chance to work on something outside of the classroom, and we could allow the process of creating the work to take center stage. Through ... our project, we were able to explore the idea of two artist[s] coming together to work on a piece.

JA: What advice would you give to future applicants?

HR and CM: Think outside the box. Try something that is a little bit of a risk that you would not necessarily feel completely comfortable doing. Challenge yourself. From our experience, one of the many benefits was working with a partner. Both of us would recommend for others to do the same-it helps to have someone else there to motivate and support you. Also, take advantage of the office of the Arts, their website has a lot of resources that can help you fill out the application. Finally, talk to Ingrid Schorr, Assistant Director of the Office of the Arts. She has a lot of great advice and she can be a wonderful support in the process. Take advantage of the resources on the web-http://www.brandeis.edu/arts/ festival/participants. The website has lots of information about the different types of grants, guidelines, and other information for people thinking about applying.