A week after pleading with students to submit ArtsFest workshops, ArtsFest organizers have just met their 80-workshop-proposal threshold, but they still need more to minimize overcrowding. The event is planned to consist of three hourlong workshops on March 1.

Students interested in proposing a workshop can fill out a Google form by Jan. 14 that Brian Wildeman, ArtsFest adviser, posted to class Schoology pages.

“We could still use more because a lot of people want to have an intimate workshop experience,” Mr. Wildeman said. “I do have some concerns that some of the workshops may be overcrowded — definitely more crowded than some of the people who proposed them want them.”

By talking with student leaders about mentioning ArtsFest and workshop proposals to their groups and hanging posters ArtsFest is trying to get more proposals after receiving fewer than in years past. President and treasurer Grayson Smith thinks a large portion of the student body isn’t accustomed to ArtsFest activities due to the pandemic or don’t know they can propose or lead a workshop.

“One of the biggest things we’ve been implementing recently is talking to freshmen and also some learning and counseling programs,” Grayson said. “Also, when peer leaders go into advisories, we’ll ask them to mention ArtsFest just because coming out of COVID a lot of them, even like sophomores and juniors, hadn’t really experienced it for real.”

Mr. Wildeman thinks another difficulty in this issue is that students would rather attend workshops than host them. 

“I think that’s part of the issue,” Mr. Wildeman said, “but, on the other hand, not only do they want to take workshops, they prefer workshops led by each other, so that’s kind of a Catch-22.” 

With only a few weeks until ArtsFest, Grayson hopes her peers interested in proposing a workshop will do so.

“I’m excited, and it feels like the word is getting out a little bit more and people are looking forward to it,” Grayson said. “I’m just hoping that if anybody wants to lead that they take a chance and do it, ’cause it’s so much fun to lead.”