Art, of many sorts, Under the Elms

Annual event adds M.E.N. concert, Mountainfilm on Tour, Nimiipuu Playwrights Festival

click to enlarge Art, of many sorts, Under the Elms
Austin Johnson/Inland 360 File
This drone shot shows last year’s Art Under the Elmson the campus of Lewis-Clark State College inLewiston. This year’s event begins Friday.


click to enlarge Art, of many sorts, Under the Elms
This year's logo was created by Nimiipuu artist Helen Goodteacher.
A film event, playwrights festival, concert and a workshop by the Idaho Circus Collective join the traditional artisan booths and food trucks for the 37th annual Art Under the Elms Friday through Sunday, April 21-23, at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.


Admission to the event, organized by the LCSC Center for Arts & History, is free. Hours are noon to 7 p.m. Friday, April 21, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 22, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 23.

The more than 60 vendors include jewelry, glass art, candy, toys, candles, photography and painting (a full list is at lcsc.edu/cah/art-under-the-elms). Area bands will play at the Student Union Building Amphitheater throughout each day.

New this year is Mountainfilm on Tour, a collection of documentary short films from the annual festival in Telluride, Colo. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Friday for ticketholders, 6:45 for nonreserved seats, for the 7 p.m. screening at the Silverthorne Theatre.

A concert is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday at the Silverthorne by Male Ensemble Northwest, or M.E.N., a professional 16-member tenor-bass choir made up of music educators, conductors and composers.

The ensemble will conduct a workshop earlier in the day, then perform with local participants, including the debut of a new version of LCSC's alma mater.

Also Saturday:

  • A cultural showcase is set from noon to 2 p.m. in the SUB Amphitheater with presentations by Nez Perce Tourism and the Oinkari Basque Dancers of Boise.

  • An aerialist performance and workshop by the Idaho Circus Collective also is from noon to 2 p.m., on the Gazebo Lawn. Participants can sign a waiver to participate in the basic workshop.

The Nimiipuu Playwrights Festival is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Silverthorne, including performances of two plays by Native artists.

“Scabby Boy,” an old Nimiipuu story exploring loss and personal transformation, is adapted and directed by LCSC interdisciplinary studies major Roland Weaskus. “A Change of Venues” is a short play written and directed by Nimiipuu poet, performer and playwright Sarah Hennessey.

A Morning of Reading by Regional Writers is from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the SUB Amphitheater with authors Mary Clearman Blew, Annie Lampman, Alexandra Teague and LCSC students.

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