On May 26th, SJA Jeju held the first Annual Festival of the Arts, which showcased events and performances in the Visual Arts, Drama, Filmmaking, Graphic Arts, Photography, and High School Band and Choir. It was a celebration of our students’ and teachers’ love of the visual and performing arts.
The Festival merged with the Artist in Residence (AiR) program that brings world-class artists from multiple disciplines to our school. This year, the school had 3 professional visiting artists coming to work with our SJA Jeju artistic team in developing art projects that culminate with showings and performances.
Performing Arts included students’ musical and dramatic presentations. SJA Jeju students, working in collaboration with our Artists in Residence directors Shane Jones and Alison Hurst, developed a drama production over the span of three full days of rehearsals.
To be part of a creative process of theater making from start to finish allowed for our student community “to feel a sense of belonging to something special” according to Jin Ho Yang in grade 10. Students across the grade levels worked together and performed beautifully. The magic happened once the audience arrived and created the synergy that is the essence of exciting live-theater.
In addition, there were Visual Arts Exhibitions all over the campus, which included Elementary School Arts, Secondary Fine Arts, Fashion Designs, Photography, and Graphic Design. Host visiting artist Pete Smith stayed on campus for three weeks and helped all Secondary School students to understand how to create abstract paintings using technology to generate source imagery. He said “My three weeks at SJA Jeju were incredible and such a memorable experience. I loved working with students, exploring Jeju landscapes and the Korean culture.”
Envisioned as a yearly event and based on the concept that art can be collaborative and should build community, the Festival brought together the Elementary, Middle and High Schools so that students of different ages could combine their talents and exhibit their progress in achieving their artistic dreams.