Texas Border Business –
By Vicky Brito,
Brownsville, Texas –– Get ready for a full year of performances. The 2015-2016 season of Patron of the Arts can now be found on both the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Patron of the Arts was created in 1984 to provide the community and students with opportunities for learning and enrichment through live events by professional guest musicians and visual arts.
The program celebrated its 30th season last year in Brownsville, and this year, Edinburg joins Patron of the Arts. In April, the Edinburg campus inaugurated a new, 1,000-seat Performing Arts Complex, the campus can now house a variety of performance types.
“This program was started on the Brownsville campus 30 years ago, and over the years it has grown from something very modest to a full season from September to June of more than 50 performances by faculty, by students and by guest artists we bring in from around the country and internationally,” said Jennifer Cahn, Brownsville coordinator of Patron of the Arts.
The program now is called UTRGV Patron of the Arts. Membership includes admission to visual art exhibits in the Art Gallery at Rusteberg Hall on the UTRGV Brownsville Campus, and at the Charles and Dorothy Clark Galleries on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus.
The Brownsville Campus will host 21 shows in the fall and 22 in the spring, while Edinburg will host 14 performances in the fall and 17 in the spring. In all, patrons will have access to more than 70 shows per academic year. The Brownsville Campus will host nine guest performers in various genres from piano to string quartet. Performing at both campuses are Mark Fouxman, piano; Borealis Brass; Ekachai Jearakul, guitar; and Kevin Bobo, marimba.
Individual tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children and senior citizens and $5 for students with valid identification for special guest performances.
Individual admission for faculty shows is $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, children and UTRGV students, with ID. Admission to student ensembles is $5 for everyone.
Yearly membership is also available. For $20, a student with valid ID can get a yearly pass.
Membership for the public follow:
Patron, one pass for $50.
Benefactor, two passes for $75.
Angel, six passes for $100.
Cherub, eight passes for $250.
Seraph, 10 passes for $500.
Archangel, 12 passes for $1,000.
Saint, 20 passes for $2,000.
“Our most popular level is the Angel,” Cahn said. “It’s $100 and you get six passes, so people can bring family and friends. If you have somebody visiting from out of town, you can take guests with you. So most people pay the $100 for the Angel level.” Last year, Patron of the Arts had more than 200 members.
Dahlia Guerra, dean of the UTRGV College of Fine Arts, said this is an extremely exciting year for arts in the Rio Grande Valley. “With the creation of the new College of Fine Arts at UTRGV, this wonderful tradition is now being extended to the Edinburg Campus and community,” Guerra said. “In addition to presenting a fabulous variety of concerts by guest artists from all over the world, Patron of the Arts also showcases artistic exhibitions and musical presentations by our own outstanding faculty and students.” TBB
