Memberships Open for Exclusive Group Supporting WT Arts Programs

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Supporters of West Texas A&M University’s arts programs in the coming year will enjoy select admission to an array of events, including the premiere of a documentary about one of the region’s fundamental philanthropists.

This year’s membership drive for The Arts at WT: A Subscription Series is now underway. Now in its 13th year, the donor group offers exclusive access to the best that WT’s Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities has to offer.

“This is our season of tribute, culminating in a documentary produced by faculty and students that will celebrate the life and good works of our College’s namesake, Mrs. Harrington,” said Dr. Jessica Mallard, dean of the Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities. “In addition to admission to the premiere screening of this important film, The Arts at WT subscribers will enjoy a year’s worth of special occasions built around events that will highlight the brilliant work of our students, faculty and staff.”

Membership is $300.

“The Amarillo and Canyon area has benefitted from a thriving arts scene for decades, and WT plays a crucial role in that,” Mallard said. “We produce artists, musicians, actors and more who not only provide the lifeblood for such organizations as Amarillo Symphony and Amarillo Little Theatre, but we also produce educators who are inspiring our next generations of young artists in schools around the region, state and nation.”

Subscribing to The Arts at WT helps ensure that mission continues by providing funds for four endowed scholarships, for special events and for purchases of essential equipment and supplies, Mallard said.

“In order for the Amarillo and Canyon area to continue to thrive as an artistic oasis, we need the vital support of our community partners,” she said.

Arts subscribers receive admission for two to each of the season’s special events:

• Sept. 22: “Extraordinary Acclaim: An Evening with the Opera Cowgirls”: This dinner-theater experience will feature the genre-bending music of this nationally touring ensemble, which includes Sarah Beckham-Turner, WT assistant professor of music;
• Oct. 20: “Ragtime Homage: Respect through Music”: WT’s jazz ensembles, led by Doug Storey and Dr. James Barger, will offer an intimate concert experience as patrons enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres;
• Dec. 4: “Cheerful Extolment: Music of the Christmas Season”: In addition to guaranteed admission to WT’s annual holiday concert, which is always performed to sold-out audiences, patrons will relish a holiday dessert buffet and drinks at Hugo’s on the Square in Canyon;
• Feb. 16: “Thunderous Applause: ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’”: Prior to WT Musical Theatre’s production of the epic Stephen Sondheim musical, patrons will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres;
• March 23: “Lasting Legacy: A Tribute to Sybil B. Harrington”: Subscribers will be the first to see a documentary produced by WT’s award-winning digital production students, faculty and staff at a screening event that also will feature surprise collaborations designed to pay homage to Harrington’s enduring impact; and
• April 27: “Artistic Admiration: Showcase of Art and Beyond”: Students and faculty from WT’s art department will display their works at this indoor-and-outdoor art walk, where patrons can create their own pieces at interactive stations.

For information or to subscribe, visit The Arts at WT website or call 806-651-2777.

Fostering an appreciation for the arts is a key mission of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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