USM’s Multi-Arts Celebration Revelry Returns this Month

Thu, 02/02/2023 - 10:53am | By: Ivonne Kawas

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Performing and Visual Arts (SPVA) is now announcing its fifth annual Revelry, a multi-arts celebration that boasts more than 40 events from Feb. 16 - March 4 on the Hattiesburg campus.

Revelry brings the university’s finest talents to the Hattiesburg community by showcasing the best in art and design, dance, and theatre. Performances, exhibitions, guest artists, lectures, panel discussions, master classes, and workshops across SPVA will be featured in this year’s event. For a complete schedule of events, visit artdesign.usm.edu/revelry-2023/.

Graphic design professor and associate director, Jacob Cotton, has been an active part of Revelry for five years and shared that he is excited as it is a “one-of-a-kind event in Mississippi.” Cotton also noted that “It [Revelry] is the only place you are going to see art and design, dance and theatre coming together in one place at this magnitude. The 40+ events in this festival are a perfect opportunity for our community to see what amazing things we do in SPVA."

Revelry kicks off with headlining events including Southern Miss Theatre’s The Miser on Feb. 16; the 2023 National Poster Show (currently on exhibit) with a juror and visiting artist lecture by Ann Willoughby on Feb. 23; and the 2023 Dance Gala on March 3.

Several interdisciplinary collaborations will also be taking place for individuals to enjoy such as: Full Radius Dance concert on Feb. 17; the Sands of Time, ceramics and a dance form called Sama on Feb. 24; and the Women’s Work, a sculpture and dance event on Feb. 27.

"I recently joined Southern Miss, so I’m beyond excited for my first Revelry 

experience,” said Meg Brooker, director of SPVA. “Our school is uniquely situated to innovate across all our art forms, and this year's festival includes some old favorites, such as the well-loved Ink Wars, as well as new collaborations across disciplines.”

This year’s Revelry Community Day will be held on Feb. 25, and will be filled with engaging activities for community members of all ages. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in bookmaking, an artist relief casting workshop, and more! These events are free and available to the public, but there will be a limited capacity on participants for each event.

“We look forward to opening our creative spaces to the Southern Miss campus and the Hattiesburg community,” added Brooker. “We are also grateful for the Mr. and Mrs. James Simrall, Jr. Arts Endowment's support of our featured guest artists, as well as the continued support for our programs from Partners for the Arts.”

Additionally, the Full Radius Dance residency, by the Atlanta-based dance company in the field of physically integrated dance, is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi Arts Commission.