KU News Release

LAWRENCE — The new School of the Arts at the University of Kansas is offering an easy-to-get passport that will take patrons on a journey of the campus and Lawrence arts communities without the hassles associated with travel.

The Passport to the Arts program is part of a yearlong celebration to officially introduce the School of the Arts to the university and to Lawrence. Housed within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of the Arts was created after a reorganization of KU’s fine arts programs. The School of the Arts is home to four departments: dance; film and media studies; theatre; and visual art.

“As a new participant in the arts in Lawrence, the School of the Arts is eager to use its resources to help promote the arts across the community and KU through the Passport to the Arts program,” said Liz Kowalchuk, associate dean for the School of the Arts. “The passport offers incentives for patronage of the arts and works to strengthen relationships between those in academic arts and community arts. I’m excited to bring together students, faculty and those in our vibrant arts community to celebrate all KU and Lawrence have to offer.”

The College’s kick off of the Passport to the Arts program will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Spencer Museum of Art. Attendees will have the opportunity to obtain passports, meet arts leaders, learn more about the new school and participate in drawings for tickets to exclusive performances and activities offered by the four departments in the School of the Arts.

“As part of the largest academic unit on campus, the School of the Arts has the opportunity to inspire and increase participation in the arts among the Lawrence and KU communities,” said Gregory B. Simpson, interim dean of the College. “This partnership also offers fresh possibilities for collaboration between the arts and the broad disciplines of the College, paving the way for unique innovations and ideas.”

Using the arts passport is simple. The goal is to earn stamps by attending events listed at www.artspassport.ku.edu. When people attend eligible events, they will get a stamp in their passports. Collecting one stamp from a KU event and another stamp from a community arts event in a month will lead to a coupon good at local stores or future events. Collecting three stamps from KU events and three stamps from community arts events from October through April will garner a free student-designed T-shirt and an invitation to an exclusive year-end Celebration of the Arts party.

Passports are easy to obtain. A downloadable version is available at www.artspassport.ku.edu. They also can be picked up after Sept. 24 at partner locations throughout Lawrence, including the Spencer Museum of Art, University Theatre, Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence Community Theatre, Lawrence Public Library, Liberty Hall and Van Go Arts.