By Lilly Ward
Staff Writer
Grounds for Sculpture held their first College Fest, an opportunity open to all regional college students to participate in a celebration of art and wellness. Undaunted by gathering rain clouds, over 300 students from Princeton University, Mercer Community College, Rider University, and the College arrived at GFS in droves.
From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 29, students explored the grounds famous for their diverse contemporary sculpture collection, sat at easels and painted the scenery, and coaxed sculptures out of blocks of clay.
Bathed in the green lighting of the East Gallery, Kean University graduate DJ Billy Gene spun Afro beats, R&B and Hip-Hop. Later in the evening, eight students from the College’s creative writing club, INK, performed their own original works of poetry on topics ranging from mental health to dead languages.
At this event, students were front and center. Part of Grounds for Sculpture’s new initiative to bring in more diverse audiences to the grounds includes bringing in more young adults. Recently, they launched a new membership opportunity for college students.
“Kids — they're still trying to find out what they like, what they dislike, trying to find out what they want to do with their careers,” said first year Mercer student Martina Peressede. Peressede said that events like College Fest are beneficial for figuring out a career in the arts.
For others not studying arts, College Fest offers an opportunity to unwind and explore art making.
“It’s an important part of exploring new ideas, cultures and new perspectives,” said senior biology and secondary education major Bryan Wood, a student at the College. “A chance to leave school behind. It gives you a second space to enjoy your time together with people, and to build a stronger community,”
In recent years, getting a younger audience in the door of art institutions and museums has been a challenge. The declining rate of attendance from this age group has been on museum directors’ radars since 2012, according to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. One study reported that just 8% of respondents ages 18 to 29 booked tickets for museums or art exhibitions, as of March 2023. Engaging the next generation is vital to ensuring the future survival of art institutions.
Wood believes accessibility, as well as a lack of resources, are often parts of the problem.
“I think that there's a lot of passionate artists of our generation, but we are struggling because of a lot of budget cuts to the arts, so there is somewhat a lack of art appreciation,” said Wood. “But also people don’t necessarily have the time or the resources to come.”
At only $5.00 a ticket to attend College Fest (regular admission for students is relatively low at $12.00), Grounds for Sculpture appears to have successfully lowered some barriers for local students' enjoyment of the arts.
As demonstrated by College Fest, getting a younger audience in the door often involves having interactive activities. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has also used this approach in their annual Teens Take the Met. Students like Sofia Scarpa, a first year student at Mercer County Community College, assert appreciation for the arts is never lost on the younger generation.
“Art is timeless,” said Scarpa. “I don’t think art has an age minimum or maximum. You’re never too young to enjoy it and never too old.”
