Students at ASU have the opportunity to showcase their art and talent to other students at Third Thursday events.
The showcase, which is happening twice this semester, will take place Thursday on the Tempe campus between the Memorial Union and Hayden Lawn.
Third Thursday has been around ASU for three semesters now and continues to grow and evolve. It started in the spring semester in 2016 by former president of the Programs and Activities Board Riggs Brown and USG Senator for the Herberger Institute Felix Herbst. The event is now now run by Vice President of Union Programs Jeewon Park.
Park said that it was created as an event that would cater to the arts and culture communities of ASU.
The event was the first of its kind for ASU, and PAB hoped to establish it long term, he said. “And it seems so far that the plan has been going great."
The Programming and Activities Board and Undergraduate Student Government are in charge of the event, but really it’s all about the students. There will be over 17 different clubs, performances, student displays and tables on Thursday.
The event will feature various ASU clubs such as the Breakdancing Club and Ascending Artists’ Association, as well individual student artists. Chipotle will be serving food near the MU, according to Park.
There were a record 23 submissions to participate in Third Thursday, Park said.
Students Chris Pelensky and Max Henderson from the ASU Clay Club, and student photographer Marcus Chormicle will be in repeat attendance at the upcoming event.
Henderson has been with the ASU Clay Club for almost two years having started when he was a freshman. Currently Henderson acts as the secretary and public relations officer for the club.
Part of Henderson's duties as the PR officer include maintaining the club Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as registering the club for sales on campus and submitting the application to participate in Third Thursday.
The application took only two minutes according to Henderson, and the PAB was very accommodating and helpful with the club’s needs. The PAB provided lights and chairs for the club.
Henderson helped the club with two Third Thursdays in the fall semester and one in the spring of 2016.
Chris Pelensky is a sophomore ceramics major at ASU and an active member of the Clay Club. This is his first year with the club after transferring from NAU. Pelensky was a member of the NAU ceramics club as well, but says it wasn't as organized as the one currently at ASU.
The club produces and sells primarily “functional items” such as cups and bowls for Third Thursday and other fundraising or sales events, Pelensky said.
Pelensky participated in one Third Thursday event with the Clay Club during the fall semester of 2016. Pelensky described the attitude of the club and the experience of Third Thursday as “good vibes.”
Marcus Chormicle is a student photographer who will also be at this upcoming Third Thursday alongside the clay club.
Chormicle has already participated in two Third Thursdays in the past and describe them both as being really awesome and fantastic events.
“It was a good way to get my name out there, and get some feedback on my photographs,” Chormicle said.
Usually the only way the Chormicle is able to get feedback and opinions on his work, is through comments left on his Instagram and Facebook posts. Having a table at Third Thursday allows him to have more personal feedback.
“It’s really cool just getting that one-on-one conversation about your stuff” Chormicle said.
“My goal isn’t to sell stuff,” he said. “It’s really just to get my name out there.”
Chormicle will have a table at Third Thursday to show his photos, but students can also check them out online at his Instagram.
Any students wishing to participate in an upcoming Third Thursday can find the application form on the PAB OrgSync page.
“This is an event to allow ASU students a platform to showcase any of their talents,” Park said.
“We bring an audience in, we bring them free food, we bring them all the equipment they need, the tables, the easels, the table covers, everything. And we just want them to bring in their talent and show it off to the ASU community.”
Correction: Due to a reporting error, a previous version of this article stated that Riggs Brown started Third Thursdays. It was a joint effort by Brown and USG Senator for the Herberger Institute Felix Herbst. This article has been updated to reflect this.
Reach the reporter at amckenn2@asu.edu or follow @AndrewMcKenney on Twitter.
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