Known as the hub for student engagement on campus, the Davis Center emitted a new, colorful light on Saturday, March 1st, as the UVM Program Board (UPB) hosted the school’s first-ever Davis Center Art Crawl! Thanks to the vibrant collaborative efforts of WRUV, PIG (People’s Improv Group), the Davis Center Art Curators, and The Gist, the Art Crawl proved extremely successful in uniting student artists, performers, and creatives of all kinds in a heartwarming celebration of artistry and craftsmanship.

Lively music from students Mia Kalish and Aidan Wilson filled the air, paintbrushes swirled vibrant colors onto canvases, and joyous laughter from the PIG improv show echoed through the halls, cultivating an exciting, warm energy on a particularly chilly winter afternoon. 

The idea behind the Art Crawl was simple yet powerful: to create a space where student artists could be seen, heard, appreciated, and supported. Student artist Adrienne Padden noted that “the Art Crawl helped [her] realize how much people appreciate and value art,” emphasizing the support felt by student artists at the event. 

This support went beyond the artist-to-audience interaction—connections between artists flourished as they showcased their work, with many finding new opportunities for artistic collaboration. Jill Mullaney, a member of PIG, stayed after her own improv performance to support the other artists and shared that she “really enjoyed the musical talent, and thought the acoustics and song picks fit really nicely with the vibe of the event.”

Katy Blanchfield, who helped organize the event, described a unique culture among the student artists. She explained that some artists who couldn't physically attend the event still got to display and sell their art, entrusting their fellow student artists to watch over some of their most cherished work, ensuring passers-by were treating their art with respect and sending payments via Venmo to artists even in their absence.

An upbeat playlist, curated by the talented WRUV DJs, set a cheerful ambiance for the students, prospective families, professors, and friends wandering through the Davis Center—some finding beautiful prints and sculptures they couldn’t leave without purchasing and others discovering their own talent in a hands-on painting workshop; the Art Crawl truly had something for everyone! Elsewhere, while the music played and the paint dried, attendees could craft passively while relishing the cinematic magic of student-made short films—offering yet another avenue for artistic expression and viewer enjoyment.

With a mission to facilitate fun, dynamic activities centered around students, the Art Crawl serves as a perfect example of UPB’s fervent dedication to fostering a strong campus community. The future of the Art Crawl is very bright—Sarah Johnsen, who helped plan the event, shared that there is a “95% chance it will happen again next year,” hoping to include even more mediums like dance, theater, and culinary arts! 

As Art Crawl plans for next semester begin to take shape, UPB member Katy reflects on the community involvement, crediting the students for its success, a sentiment that can be extended to all UPB events: “We put it on, but the students are what made the event all that it was.”