Club Spotlight: Creative Arts Club

Club Spotlight: Creative Arts Club

Fairley Lloyd, Staff Writer

Are you craving to create something but do not know where to start? Interested in making friends with similar interests? Want to meet other artists just like you? 

If you answered yes to any of the questions, the Creative Arts Club may just be for you. 

The Creative Arts Club (CAC) is a campus organization that brings together multi-medium artists. This can include anyone from writers to dancers to photographers to musicians. Visual, performing and other forms of art are all welcomed at the club. 

CAC’s mission is to create, collaborate and cultivate. In addition to working on their own work, artists collaborate with others to provide feedback and help everyone grow as an artist in whatever medium that interests them. 

The club was started by Ricki Nelson, a senior double majoring in Creative Writing and Film Studies with a certificate in Publishing. Nelson was inspired to create the club from the knowledge that many students had creativity but needed a support system. 

“We have so many wonderful artists on campus who don’t believe in what they have to offer,” Nelson said. “We want to be an environment that says otherwise.” 

CAC supports students in several ways. Aside from club meetings, where artists mingle and share ideas, the club hosts workshops with artistic professionals for students to learn from them and ask questions. They also have “creative challenges” where they encourage members to create a piece of art in whatever form that matches their prompt. For example, this month the prompt is based on the theme “misfit” and the art must represent what the artist feels represents being an outcast. 

Collaboration is a key for one of CAC’s biggest programs: an end of the year showcase in the spring semester. Artists show off their work, whether through performance or other art of their choosing. Last year included a gallery of original paintings and other artwork and performances of spoken word and monologues. 

“Learning to be kind to yourself and your art is one of the best things you can do for your work,” Nelson said. “At CAC, that’s what we care about.” 

The Creative Arts Club meets every Monday from 7-8 p.m. Locations vary. For more information on CAC and its events, visit CAC on Wavelink or email club president, Ricki Nelson, at [email protected].