Chicago, IL— Visiting Minds. Lasting Influence. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is pleased to announce the newest lineup of guest speakers for its Visiting Artists Program (VAP), continuing a tradition endowed 60 years ago. VAP hosts two seasons of public presentations by artists and scholars each academic year through lectures, symposia, performances, and screenings.

“This program is a cornerstone of Chicago’s visual arts community, and an invaluable resource for those interested in the art of our time,” notes Andrea Green, Director of the Visiting Artists Program. “The ideas of these internationally renowned artists and scholars are inspiring. VAP features some of the most compelling thinkers at work today—probing, provoking, and questioning the subjects at the core of the creative process and critical inquiry.”

The Spring 2013 season opens Tuesday, February 5 with a lecture by ideas-driven landscape artist and architect Martha Schwartz. Artistic Director of Documenta (13) 2012 Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev visits February 25, followed by artist, writer, and curator Julie Ault on March 4. Jacob Hashimoto (BFA 1996)—creator of massive, intricately detailed three-dimensional sculptures and hanging installations—continues SAIC’s Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series on March 19. Josiah McElheny details his sculptural glass objects and multimedia installations on March 27, followed by a visit from artist and filmmaker Rosa Barba on April 11, presented in collaboration with SAIC’s Conversations at the Edge series. The series closes on April 29 with a presentation by performance artist Vaginal Davis. More information on each presenter is included below.

VAP Online
In addition to making their appearances open to the public, SAIC presents many Visiting Artists Program lectures as audio podcasts online at saic.edu/vap. Recent presenters include Catherine Opie, Andi Zeisler, Tania Bruguera, and Lari Pittman. Join the conversation by following VAP on Facebook or by signing up for its eNewsletter.

Admission
All lectures are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Reservations for groups of 10 or more must be made two weeks prior to the lecture. Otherwise, seating is on a first come, first served basis.

FOR FULL SCHEDULE OF VISITING ARTIST PLEASE VISIT http://www.saic.edu/press/2012/springseasonofvisitingartistsprogramannounced/

Combined Graduate and Undergraduate Meeting

Wednesday, February 20, 12:15 p.m.

SAIC Columbus Auditorium, 280 S. Columbus Dr.

Workshops
SAIC’s Career + Co-op Center facilitates workshops related to the fellowship application process. Contact Nancy Gildart at 312.629.6820 or ngildart@saic.edu for more information.  

Graduate Fellowship Opportunities

FRED A. HILLBRUNER ARTISTS’ BOOK FELLOWSHIP

Awarded to students who create outstanding artists’ books, this fellowship has been established in honor of Fred Hillbruner, longtime librarian at SAIC who cultivated the Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection. One award of $750 to a graduate student.

MFA WRITING FELLOWSHIP

This fellowship is awarded to students in the writing program who demonstrate exceptional promise in their genre (poetry, prose, script, or a combination). Restricted to Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Writing degree candidates. Graduating students may apply to the Fred A. Hillbruner Artists’ Book Fellowship in addition to the MFA Writing Fellowship. Two awards of $1,500.

MFA FELLOWSHIP
Graduate students who have a studio practice and are enrolled in the following degree programs may apply: MFA in Studio; MFA in Writing; Master of Design in Fashion, Body and Garment; Master of Design in Designed Objects; Master of Architecture; and Master of Architecture with Emphasis in Interior Architecture. Graduating students may apply to the Fred A. Hillbruner Artists’ Book Fellowship in addition to the MFA Fellowship. Five awards of $2,500 and 15 awards of $1,500.

Important Note for MA and MS Departments:

Awards for Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS) departments are by nomination from your department only. There is no application process. Recipients of these awards will be notified by graduation.

These awards are generously funded by the Graduate Dean’s Office and the President’s Office. Please see your program head for more information.

One eligible student in the following departments will be nominated for an award in the amount of $1,500: MA in Arts Administration and Policy; MA in Art Education; MA in Teaching; MA in Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism; MA in Art Therapy; MA in New Arts Journalism; MA in Visual and Critical Studies; MS in Historic Preservation; Dual Degree: MA in Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism and MA in Arts Administration and Policy.

Undergraduate Fellowship Opportunities

FRED A. HILLBRUNER ARTISTS’ BOOK FELLOWSHIP
Awarded to students who create outstanding artists’ books, this fellowship has been established in honor of Fred Hillbruner, longtime librarian at SAIC who cultivated the Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection. One award of $750 to a BFA or Post-Bacc student.
BFA/POST-BACC FELLOWSHIP
Undergraduate students who have a studio practice and are enrolled in the following degree programs may apply: BFA; Bachelor of Interior Architecture; BFA with an Emphasis in Art Education; BFA with an Emphasis in Writing; BFA with an Emphasis in Art History, Theory, and Criticism; Post-Bacc Certificate in Studio; Post-Bacc Certificate in Fashion, Body and Garment. Any BA degree candidates with a studio practice may apply if you are able to support your application with a dedicated visual art practice. Graduating students may apply to the Fred A. Hillbruner Artists’ Book Fellowship in addition to the BFA/Post-Bacc Fellowship. Five awards of $2,500 and 15 awards of $1,500

2013 Fellowship Application Deadlines 

BFA/Post-Baccalaureate  

Sunday, March 17, 11:59 p.m.

Fred A. Hillbruner Artists’ Book    

Sunday, April 7, 11:59 p.m.

Book Drop-off   

Monday, April 8, 5:00 p.m.

MFA Writing  

Sunday, April 14, 11:59 p.m.

MFA  

Sunday, April 21, 11:59 p.m.

Late applications will NOT be accepted.

Questions?
Questions concerning application submissions should be directed to the Visiting Artists Program at 312.899.5185 orfellowship-vap@saic.edu.
About the Annual Fellowship Competition
The fellowship competition has a long-standing history dating back to 1901. The multiple cash awards enable recipients to continue their professional growth through advanced independent study, artmaking, research, and/or travel.

SAIC’s annual fellowship competition is held each spring for students who are scheduled to graduate in the current academic year. Those eligible for the 2013 competition include all students who will graduate in fall 2012, spring 2013, and summer 2013 who can support their application with documentation that demonstrates their arts practice.

The fellowship competition is supervised by SAIC’s Visiting Artists Program. For comprehensive Fellowship information, including eligibility, the online application process via SlideRoom, and past jurors, please visit:saic.edu/fellowship.

Student Union Galleries (SUGs) Opening Reception: Severe Style
4:00–6:00 p.m.
The LeRoy Neiman Center Gallery, 37 S. Wabash Ave. 

Curated by Rob Bos and Stephanie Cristello
Wyatt Grant, Emre Kocagil, Boris Ostrerov, Celeste Rapone, Alice Tippit, and Valentina Zamfirescu

Where the idyllic and the illusionistic overlap, exists a current trend in painting that adopts the romantic myth of high style, sometimes in a way that is purposefully illogical. Symmetry, trompe l’oeil, text forms, and an attention to the physical and conceptual implications of composition and influence, suggest new ways to see “style” in painting today—like a ripple in the scattered reflections of Narcissus’s mirror when the wind blew.

On December 20 Newcity released its Top 5 of Everything 2012, a compilation of Top 5 lists covering all aspects of Chicago’s art and culture in the past year. Members of the SAIC community made a dominant showing in this year’s Art section, featured in Top Art Exhibitions—which named The Great Refusal: Taking on New Queer Aestheticsat SAIC’s Sullivan Galleries among its top five—Top Art/Design Crossovers, Total Art Escapes, Top Art Interviews, Top Art Exhibitions You Didn’t See, Top People You See at Every Art Opening, and Top People Whose Lives Are Possibly Artworks.  Congratulations are in order for faculty members Deborah Boardman, Maria Gasper, Lou Malozzi (BFA 1978), and Trevor Martin, and additional praise goes to SAIC alumni Jordan Avery (BFA 2012), Benjamin Bellas (BFA 2005), Sandra Binion (MFA 1992), Troy Briggs (MFA 2012), Adam Brooks (MFA 1989), Bridgette Buckley (MFA 2002),Stephanie Burke (MFA 2009), Mariano Chavez (BFA 2005), Chelsea Culp (BFA 2007), Theodore Darst (BFA 2011), Robin Dluzen(MFA 2010), Steven Fiehn (BFA 2000), Ben Foch (NG 1999), Vicki Fowler (MFA 2011), Jeffrey Grauel (MFA 2000), Emily Green (BFA 2005), Paul Hopkin (MFA 1997), Jane Jerardi (MFA 2012), Jennifer Karmin (MFAW 2001), Joseph Kramer (MFA 2010), Alan Lerner(MFA 2003), Carron Little (MFA 1999), Eric May (BFA 2000), Heather Mullins (MFA 2008), Tyler Myers (BFA 2001), Marissa Perel(MFA 2010), Oliverio Rodriguez (MAAH 2006), Luis Romero (MFA 1999), Louisa Shields (BFA 2009), Jenni Sorkin (BFA 1999), Edra Soto (MFA 2000), Megan Sterling (MFA 2007), Brad Troemel (BAVS 2010), Vincent Uribe (BAVS-BA 2012), Heather Marie Vernon(MAAT 2013), Mathew Wilson (MFA 1993), and Molly Zuckerman-Hartung  (PBS 2005, MFA 2007). Phew!

The spring U-Pass will be available to returning full-time students only in the ARTICard office starting Wednesday, January 16th.  Save time and avoid long lines by coming to get your U-Pass before everyone gets back into town.  Stop by the ARTICard office in Sharp 254 between 8:30am-4:30pm this Wednesday through Friday to get your preprinted transit card.

This is for returning full-time students only*.  You must be a full-time student to pick up your U-Pass.  If you did not have an SAIC U-Pass in the fall, you will need to have your picture taken by the CTA beginning on Tuesday, January 22nd. 
Remember, the spring U-Pass will not activate until January 22.  If you pick yours up early, it will not work right away!

*The CTA makes every effort to preprint the cards of returning students.  If, for some reason, we don’t have your U-Pass, please accept our apologies!  We’re human, ya know?  But take heart - if we sent you this email, we probably have your U-Pass.

-ARTICard Office

articard@saic.edu

For a limited time, you can join the SAIC Laptop Program and get an Apple MacBook Pro laptop at the special SAIC discount. 
** If you’re a first-year undergrad or transfer student, please see note at bottom.

By enrolling in the SAIC Laptop Program, you will receive the SAIC software template (see SOFTWARE NOTE below for details), and will also have access to hardware and software support through the CRIT Help Desk. 

If you previously purchased a laptop through SAIC, this is a great opportunity to upgrade your computer.
This is a limited-time offer, available only while supplies last.. 
Order now to pick up your laptop during the Laptop Distribution Sessions on January 23, 2013.
The Spring 2013 SAIC Laptop Program equipment includes:
Apple MacBook Pro 
• 2.3GHz quad-core Intel i7 Processor
• 4GB RAM
• 500GB Hard Drive
• Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• 15-inch widescreen glossy LED-backlit display, backlit keyboard
• Airport Extreme card and Bluetooth
• SD card slot
• Built-in battery (7 hours)
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics controller with 512MB RAM
• 3-year AppleCare Protection Plan

• Standard Apple software including iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand)

• SAIC laptop software template (see below for details)

750 GB portable USB 3.0 hard drive
7-foot CAT6 Ethernet cable
Biblio handmade felt sleeve for MacBook Pro
The cost of the Spring 2013 SAIC Laptop Program equipment is $1995 (plus $184.54 tax, total of $2179.54). There is also a final $10 payment (plus tax) when you leave the Program, at which point, ownership of the laptop will be transferred to you.

This deal saves you at least $216 over the standard educational price of this package, which totals approximately $2211 (plus tax).

To place an order, or for more information, contact the CRIT Help Desk at laptop@saic.edu or 312-345-3738, option 2.
PLEASE NOTE: Payment in full is required when placing your order.

SOFTWARE NOTE
The SAIC laptop template includes:
• Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro, Flash Pro, Flash Builder, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Premier Pro, After Effects, Encore, Bridge)
• Apple iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand)

• Apple iWork (Keynote, Numbers, Pages)

• Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Audacity, Coda, Corel Painter, Google Sketchup Pro, plus other applications, utilities and drivers

**ATTENTION FIRST YEAR UNDERGRADUATE AND TRANSFER STUDENTS: Please note that this offer is for continuing and returning students only. If you are a First Year or transfer student, your account will be billed for a laptop through SAIC, and you will receive your laptop during new student orientation.   

SAIC President Walter Massey will join Bernice King and Martin Luther King III in a dramatic reading of their father’s “I Have a Dream” speech on Saturday, January 19, 2013, at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Co-presented by Morehouse and the King Center, the event is part of THE DREAM@50 tribute series and will be taped for inclusion as part of a PBS documentary special and other outlets, including broadcast on digital billboards in Times Square. THEDREAM@50 is a partnership between the King Center, Americans for the Arts, National Education Association, National Art Education Association, National Council of Teachers of English, National Council for the Social Studies, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, United Nations, Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Martin Luther King Jr. Collection at Morehouse College, and YouTube. 

It’s true!  Use your ARTICash to replenish your supplies, grab a snack, or curl up with a new book.  Check out all of the great and friendly places that take the ARTICard:

•    7-Eleven (71 E. Monroe)*
•    Artist & Craftsman Supply (828 S. Wabash Ave.)
•    Barnes & Noble College Booksellers (1 E. Jackson St.)
•    Blick Art Materials (42 S. State, Lincoln Park, Evanston, and Schaumburg)
•    Chipotle (8 E. Madison)*
•    Cosi (116 S. Michigan) 
•    CVS/pharmacy (105 S. Wabash)*
•    Falafill (72 E. Adams)
•    Genesis Artist’s Village (2417 N. Western)
•    Jimmy John’s (6 E. Madison)
•    Under 55 Café (55 E. Monroe)
•    Utrecht (33 S. Wabash)

Remember, Meal Plan money cannot be used off-campus.  You’ll need to make a deposit on your ARTICard to use it at these locations.  Be sure to ask about discounts for SAIC students!

Questions? 
Visit http://www.saic.edu/lifeatsaic/articardandu-pass/articard/
-or-
Contact the ARTICard Office at articard@saic.edu.
*ARTICard cannot be used for alcohol, tobacco, or gift card purchases.