Students and local spectators crowded the room, attentive to the writer on the stage washed with blue light.
Alissa Nutting, one of the featured writers, shared a piece she said was inspired by modern technology changing certain boundaries. She said she had always wanted to perform at the Blue Light Reading Series, organized by the Indiana Review literary magazine.
“I’m so honored to be here,” Nutting said.
Indiana Memorial Union Board’s Canvas committee co-sponsored the event.
Austin Atkinson, director of the Canvas committee, said the series is an influential experience for students wanting to share their art someday.
Canvas Assistant Director Mitchell Sigmund said he was thrilled with the audience that evening.
“I’m happy that the crowd is active,” he said. “It’s always better when an audience is involved.”
One audience member, junior Hannah Murray, felt compelled to respond to the readings. She said Nutting’s reading was especially vivid and humorous, allowing the audience to react.
“That definitely captures your attention,” she said.
Sigmund said the committee is honing in on efforts to collaborate with the broader arts community beyond their own publication, Canvas magazine.
“Union Board really wants to promote this sort of collectiveness on campus, especially in the arts community,” he said.
Atkinson said the committee is continually expanding their efforts to reach not only a larger group of artists but a larger group of students as well.
“We seek to program a diverse variety of events for everyone on campus,” he said in an email. “We’re anxious to present the student body with some very exciting programs this year.”
To achieve this goal, Canvas has expanded their programming and promotional efforts.
This includes their continued management of the IMU Gallery, located in the seating area of the IMU Starbucks.
Atkinson said most submissions for the Gallery are from various student groups across campus.
Sigmund said the collection of submissions bring together the different sectors of the arts community at IU.
Any student can submit their work in an email to canvas@indiana.edu to be featured in the Gallery, ?Atkinson said.
Members of the Canvas committee are also on the judging panel for the Limelights Film Festival, programmed by the Union Board Films Committee, Atkinson said.
Sigmund said this collaboration with different sectors of the arts community is a step toward the committee’s mission this semester.
“We’ve been really looking to branch out,” he said.
Murray said she once shared her work in a similar environment as the Saturday readings.
“It was really exciting to be able to present your work like that,” she said.
The event at the Bishop creates an especially open environment for the writers and audience, Murray said.
She said readings on campus tend to feel more formal, whereas the Blue Light Reading Series was relaxed.
“It’s a very different environment,” she said.
As an English major with a concentration in creative writing, Murray said she came to see published authors perform and sees the value she can take from their experience.
“I think it gives people who want to be creative writers insight,” she said.
