UCF’s Art Knight! will be held on Friday, November 17. The annual event, hosted by the School of Visual Arts and Design (SVAD), is an open house for the community to tour studio spaces and classrooms, see current student projects and interact with art students and faculty. The first event in 2022 was so popular that the school is reprising the event and plans to do so every year moving forward – with an even bigger and better presence than before.
The event provides a bridge between academics and the public by creating space for networking and talking with UCF students. Members of the community can join UCF faculty and students in exploring art created by students who have used a wide variety of visual arts mediums and practices. As attendees walk through the halls of the Visual Arts Building, they will see paintings, sculptures, 2D and 3D design, photography and more. Studio spaces such as bookbinding, ceramics, photography, printmaking, animation and more will be open to the public and activated with live demos and students working.
Art won’t be the only offering at Art Knight!: Knightro will be in attendance for a meet and greet. Music will be offered by Knights of the Turntables, featuring DJ Hans and DJ Kyto. Guests can eat from local food trucks such as Juicy Leo’s “Cuban food with a twist” and El Pollo Gordo, which serves nachos, empanadas and more. There will also be a cash bar serving beer and wine (Valid ID required).
Attendees can also learn more about UCF’s creative student organizations at the Club Showcase, which will feature the Knight Studios, Graphic Design Student Association (GDSA), UCF Art Club, UCF SIGGRAPH and many more.
Current SVAD students will be in attendance to share their work and to see what their peers have been creating. SVAD student Elizabeth Simac says that she looks forward to seeing the works created by her peers.
“I think it’s vital we include the public in our art,” Simac says. “For art to thrive we need everyone involved and interested and while it’s amazing to have a space for artists only, we eventually need to put our work out there for the public to connect with and build a community for everyone.”
Art Knight! coincides with the opening night of the Myriad: Fall BFA Exhibition, which runs from November 17 to December 5. This bi-annual exhibition provides the opportunity for senior undergraduate students specializing in book arts, ceramics, drawing, experimental animation, illustration, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture to share their research and artistic practice.
Rudy McDaniel, director of the School of Visual Arts and Design, says that Art Knight is not just an event, it’s a celebration of creativity and innovation. “The arts are the soul of any vibrant community, and UCF is no exception. Art Knight is our way of inviting the UCF community to explore the artistic endeavors of our students, experience our state-of-the-art studios, and witness the intersection of art and creative research. It’s a testament to the profound impact that creativity can have on a research university.”
McDaniel says that art has the unique ability to bridge disciples and ignite imagination which is what Art Knight! does.
“Art Knight is our way of inviting the UCF community to explore the artistic endeavors of our students, experience our state-of-the-art studios, and witness the intersection of art and creative research.”
The Central Florida community is invited to experience the many creative projects showcased at the annual Art Knight! festivities on November 17 at the Visual Arts Building on UCF’s Main Campus from 6-9 p.m. Advance registration is recommended at svad.cah.ucf.edu/art-knight/.
To learn more about the UCF School of Visual Arts and Design’s offerings, click here.