Looking for free, fun, family activities this summer? Then head out to Quartz Mountain for performances and events by Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute (OSAI) faculty and students. Renowned filmmaker Lauren Greenfield kicks off the performances, which run Friday, June 21 – Saturday, June 29. OSAI, a prestigious academy for Oklahoma high school students, will also host poetry readings, film screenings, gallery openings, and music, dance, and theater performances.
“Many performances are followed by free receptions hosted by southwest Oklahoma communities,” said Emily Claudé, Oklahoma Arts Institute program director. “Catching a performance and enjoying the reception are great ways to experience OSAI.”
Acclaimed documentary photographer and filmmaker Lauren Greenfield is considered a preeminent chronicler of youth culture, gender, and consumerism. Her latest feature-length documentary film, The Queen of Versailles, was selected as the opening night film of Sundance 2012. It won the Best Director award in the U.S. Documentary Competition and was nominated for Best Documentary by the Directors Guild of America, Critics Choice, and the International Documentary Association. The film was named on many “Top Films of the Year” lists, including in The New York Times and Slate.
Greenfield, as well as Florida-based chorus master André Thomas, will present on Fri., June 21 at 7 p.m. in the Robert M. Kerr Performing Arts Center at the Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center in southwest Oklahoma. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The presentations will be followed by a free public reception hosted by the communities of Blair, Eldorado, and Hollis, Okla.
Other highlights include a variety of performances and showcases by OSAI students during ONSTAGE Weekend, Fri., June 28 and Sat., June 29. The performances represent the culmination of the Summer Institute, an intensive two-week arts academy. Institute students are selected for the program through competitive, statewide auditions and represent Oklahoma’s most talented high school students.
For a complete listing of public performances, visit www.oaiquartz.org or call (405) 605-7500. OSAI is taught on a collegiate level, and some performances may not be suitable for children under the age of 14.
The Oklahoma Arts Institute is a private, non-profit organization developed in 1977, with a mission to provide exceptional multidisciplinary arts experiences that develop individual talent and inspire a lifelong passion for the arts. OAI administers a program for talented Oklahoma youth every June and a series of continuing education workshops for adults every fall.