Bored out of your mind or stuck in your room during these last weeks of online classes? Consider supporting fellow student artists and attending a virtual art festival. The NMU Department of Theater and Dance is currently holding evening screenings of their North x North Coast Virtual Arts and Culture Festival. The festival began on Nov. 17 and will conclude on Nov. 21, with evening screenings lasting from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. each night. 

The department revamped their annual Fringe Festival to form the North x North Coast event. This year’s event is the inaugural festival. It includes works of art from students, faculty and local artists. The creations on display include plays, songs, films, virtual art gallery, mini documentary, 3D animation and dance pieces, including such timely works as #Alonebuttogether and The COVID Chronicles. Full list of performance pieces is available on the program. 

Most of the pieces shown at this virtual festival are envisioned, created or performed by NMU students. There is also a showing from plein air painter Stephen Hughes with portraits of Presque Isle.

Students can easily attend the festival, because it’s available right on your laptop screen.Tickets cost $5 for students, $12 for NMU employees, seniors and military, $17 for the general public and can be purchased at Northern Ticketing. Once tickets are purchased, a link is sent to attendees over email. 
Although COVID-19 has necessitated the unusual format of the arts festival, the Department of Theater and Dance is taking advantage of the new digital medium which is, “giving our students and faculty the chance to share their creativity with both local and global communities,” according to the NMU events page.