Smith Arts Day

Imaging Through the Ages in the Imaging Center

Imaging Center, Room 324, Hillyer Hall, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
The Imaging Center (IC) will demonstrate a number of its services—with a little fun too! Come watch 3D-printing and laser-cutting demos and take home a 3D-printed or laser-cut souvenir (while supplies last). Add some bling to your book bag, hat, or lapel by making a button using 35 mm teaching slides that have been digitized. Create a linoleum print using a hand press with the help of IC student worker Emelie Villanueva ’26 (all day, ages 10 and up). Or visit the Porticus of Livia in ancient Rome by taking a virtual reality tour constructed by our own Professor Barbara Kellum and her former STRIDE student Emma Civello ’24.

Mock Class—Dance: Contemporary Technique Masterclass

Scott Gym, Scott Dance Studio, 11 a.m.
Observe a dance masterclass given by professor Angie Hauser from the dance department.

Beginner Friendly Northampton Ukulele Group Open Rehearsal

Josten Performing Arts Library Mezzanine, 10 a.m.–noon
The community-based Northampton Ukulele Group holds open sessions every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in the Forbes Library. All are welcome; ukuleles are available for loan at the Josten Library.

Papermaking with Floral Inclusions

Lyman Plant House, Room 112, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Come to the Lyman Plant House and learn how to make paper using recycled materials and flower petals from the Spring Bulb Show! Space is limited—we can accommodate up to 12 people at a time and will be running demos approximately every 45 minutes.

Secondhand Poetry

The Boutelle-Day Poetry Center, Wright Hall, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Art can come from anywhere, so what better way to make poetry than from existing words? Make your own poem by blacking out a single page or collaging one together from magazines and paperbacks. Supplies are provided.

Live Caricatures with the Illustration Club

Smith College Museum of Art/Hillyer Atrium, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Join the Illustration Club at a little station in the atrium, where the president of the club and other members and board members will draw you or a photo of a loved one.

Pencil Pouch Decorating

Smith College Museum of Art, Hillyer Atrium, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Stop by and decorate a SmithArts pencil pouch with fabric markers.

In the Making

Alumnae Gym, Third Floor, 11a.m.–5 p.m.
Come see the work of students, faculty, and staff as they make creative projects to explore diverse interdisciplinary domains. This exhibit invites viewers into the slow time of making a space of research, reflection, learning, and iteration. The Design Thinking Initiative has supported these projects through the Interdisciplinary Making Concentration, the Faculty Co-Creator Fellowship, and a postgraduate fellowship.

Smith College Bazaar

Chapin Lawn, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
The class of 2028 will bring back our spring bazaar event on the Chapin lawn! There will be students selling clothes, art, baked goods, and other items. Stop by and shop for goodies that support the Smith community.

Celebrations Dance Company Showcase

Berenson Cook Studio (B3), Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.
In this mini-showcase we will perform one of a few of our dances from our repertoire. Plus, we will give a brief overview of our company and answer questions about dance groups at Smith!

Cyanotype Workshop

Design Thinking Initiative, noon–2 p.m.
Join the Photography Club and the Design Thinking Initiative (DTI)—in collaboration with the botanic garden—for a botanical cyanotype workshop. Drop in any time to learn about the science, history, and significance of this photographic process and create your own prints.

Porchfest

Capen House (Garden), Tyler House, Wesley-Haven House, and Chapin Deck (Campus Center), noon–3 p.m.
Porchfest is a new Smith Arts Day performance series featuring live music and performances on porches and in outdoor spaces across campus. Student musicians and performers will take the stage throughout the afternoon in short sets, creating a relaxed, festival-style atmosphere as audiences wander between locations. Stop by Capen House (Capen Garden), Tyler House, Wesley-Haven House, and the Chapin Deck to hear everything from solo acoustic sets to small ensembles and other live performances.

Smith Student Filmmaking Showcase

Graham Hall, Hillyer Hall, noon–4 p.m.
Hosted by the Department of Film and Media Studies (FMS), this drop-in screening will showcase student filmmaking at Smith from students in and beyond FMS. Selected student films will play in a loop in Graham Hall, so attendees are welcome to drop in anytime and stay for as long as they’d like. FMS student representatives will be tabling outside the Hillyer atrium to chat with anyone about the films or about the FMS department and major.

Makeup & Headscarf Workshop

Campus Center 102, 1–2 p.m.
Come learn how to create simple, everyday makeup looks and explore different turban and headscarf styles in a beginner-friendly space. We’ll have some sample supplies available to get you started, but quantities are limited, so feel free to bring your own makeup or headscarves if you have them. Whether you’re totally new or just looking to pick up a few tips, everyone is welcome! Presented by the Pan-African Students Association.

Tap Ensemble Open Class

Berenson Leeds Studio, Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, 1–2 p.m.
Smith Tap Ensemble will be hosting an open class where members of the Smith community can learn how to tap, no matter their level of experience. We will be teaching basic steps, combinations, and part of one of our showcase dances! Have fun, move your body, and learn a new skill.

Paper Flower-Making with the Wurtele Center for Collaborative Leadership

Wurtele Classroom, McCartney Hall, Room 101, 1–3 p.m.
Make paper flowers while learning about collaborative leadership! Drop in anytime between 1 and 3 p.m. to create a paper flower to contribute to a giant, collective bouquet. The flowers we create will include reflections on how each of us works with other people to make the world a better place. Visitors can make one flower to contribute to the common installation and one to take home. We'll display the collective bouquet in McCartney Hall as a testament to the flourishing of collaborative leadership at Smith.

Experiences with Art at the SCMA

Smith College Museum of Art, 1:15–2:15 p.m.
Explore the Smith College Museum of Art with the SCMA’s Student Museum Educators (SME). Meet in the SCMA lobby for a guided one-hour tour for all ages. Join participatory experiences with art led by our SMEs, who will also share what it is like to work in the art museum as a Smith student. Look closely, draw, write, and talk about art on all four floors of the museum!

POLLEN/SWOLLEN, Elle Longpre ’07

Hillyer Hall 103, 1:30 p.m. 
Trees are our earliest poets. POLLEN/SWOLLEN is a digital project that collaborates with trees to create poems. A video loop of tree poems will play throughout the day, and during the short performance the artist will produce hand-drawn poems on sheets of paper that the audience can take home.

Sonic Meditations on Memory

Nolen Art Lounge, 2–2:20 p.m. and 2:30–2:50 p.m.
Guided by the sonic meditations of electronic composer Pauline Oliveros, this space offers both musicians and nonmusicians the opportunity to meditate on personal memories through sound, led by sound curator Isa Otero ’26. This event is in support of Josie Wong’s exhibition, Collection of Memories. Tea, snacks, and humidifier/essential oils will be provided.

Drop In and Mend!

Hillyer Art Library, 2–4 p.m.
Join student Anelise Peterson ’28 for an afternoon dedicated to sustainable care on the second floor of Hillyer Art Library. Come learn techniques for mending textiles. We’ll provide fabric samples to practice on, or you can bring a well-loved item in need of repair to work on!

This program is in partnership with the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability (CEEDS), and is aiming to help promote thoughtful fashion consumption.

Create an Artist’s Book

Hillyer Art Library, 2–4 p.m.
Drop in and create a small artist’s book in Hillyer Art Library’s first-floor classroom. We’ll have a variety of materials available—including accordion books—to make your own work of book art.

Ceramics Studio Open House

Ceramics Studio (40 Green Street), 2–4 p.m.
Did you know the Ceramics Club is one of the largest clubs on campus with almost 500 members? Stop by the ceramics studio during this open house to meet board members, get a tour of the resources, and see what students are working on!

Smith Synchronized Swimming Presents: Bae-Watch

Ainsworth Pool, 3 p.m. (open to all community members)
Come see the Synchronized Swimming Club Showcase! The theme this year is Bae-Watch, so expect summer, lifeguard, and beach-themed music along with super fun student choreography. Come splash with us!

Old Time/Traditional String Music Jam Session

McCartney Hall Roof Terrace, 3–4 p.m.
A group of Smith students, faculty, and staff—along with some additional local friends/partners—will be gathering to play some tunes on the roof terrace of McCartney Hall. All are welcome, so if you have an instrument and want to come and pick along, please feel free!

Chinese Calligraphy Workshop

Campus Center 103/104, 3–4 p.m.
Come learn a bit about the history of the Chinese writing system and try your hand at writing with brushes in a relaxed, hands-on session.

JostenLive! Smith Arts Day Edition, Featuring Alum Singers/Songwriters

Josten Performing Arts Library Mezzanine, 3–5 p.m.
Join Lily Lothrop ’21, and Shannon Lambert ’21 for this special JostenLive! They’ll talk about Smith and their songwriting journey. Listen to songs from This is What I Can Do, Cool Girl, and Junk Drawer Heartbreak in an informal coffeehouse setting.

Gamelan 30th Anniversary Concert

Smith College Conference Center, 4–6 p.m.
The Smith College Gamelan Ensemble celebrates 30 years of music-making with a special anniversary event. In the style of a Javanese klenèngan, light refreshments and drinks will be served, audience members may come and go freely, and any former gamelan members present may partake in the music-making. Featured guests include former directors of the Smith gamelan. Traditional Javanese gamelan ranges from the slow and serene to the lively and joyful, played on bronze percussion, drums, and other instruments. Free and open to the public.

Drone Photobooth

Systematics Garden (between Sabin-Reed Hall and Lyman Plant House), 5–7 p.m.
Drop by to get your photo taken from the skies! Learn about how the Spatial Analysis Lab uses drones for aerial photography and mapping. Photos will be taken by lab staff and students, led by senior lab associate Jill Ferraro ’26. Accessories provided by the Mendenhall Costume Shop.

Love in the Mirror: A Queer Italian Renaissance Comedy

Studio 1, Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, 5:30 p.m.
Florinda has sworn off love—but she’s about to be put to the test when the alluring Lidia appears in her mirror. A groundbreaking comedy in its depiction of a love affair between two women, this production brings queer history to life through dazzling linguistic play, seductive tension, and razor-sharp wit. Be advised: Attend only if you love the art of innuendo, queer yearning, and are prepared to never look at a lute the same way again. Performed in English.

Essence Showcase: Murals + Movements

John M. Greene Hall, 6–8 p.m.
Join us for the fourth annual Essence showcase: Murals + Movements, presented by Black Rhythms in collaboration with the Black Students’ Alliance, the Smith African and Caribbean Students Association, and the Pan-African Students Association. This year, we want to highlight the visual and performing arts from Black artists that have influenced how we move today. There will be vocal and dance performances, spoken word, a fashion showcase, and more.

Smith Synchronized Swimming presents: Bae-Watch

Ainsworth Pool, 7 p.m. (Smith students only)
Come see the Synchronized Swimming Club Showcase! The theme this year is Bae-Watch, so expect summer, lifeguard, and beach-themed music along with super fun student choreography. Come splash with us!

Roots Rising: An Open-Mic Fundraiser for the Western Mass Asylum Support Network

Earle Recital Hall, Sage Hall, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Come share an evening of community-building through art, music, and poetry! This student-led fundraiser is a benefit for the Western Massachusetts Asylum Support Network—a grassroots, volunteer-run, mutual aid initiative that provides asylum seekers in western Massachusetts with the resources, information, community, and support they need to transition to and thrive in this country. In honor of Smith Arts Day, we will be selling handmade student art as a part of our fundraising efforts.

Gamelan 30th Anniversary Concert

Smith College Conference Center, 7–9 p.m.
The Smith College Gamelan Ensemble celebrates 30 years of music-making with a special anniversary event. In the style of a Javanese klenèngan, light refreshments and drinks will be served, audience members may come and go freely, and any former gamelan members present may partake in the music-making. Featured guests include former directors of the Smith gamelan. Traditional Javanese gamelan ranges from the slow and serene to the lively and joyful, played on bronze percussion, drums, and other instruments. Free and open to the public.

Smith 2 Do: CD Painting

Campus Center 203, 9–11 p.m (Smith students only)
Paint a CD however you like and use it to decorate your space! Presented by the Office of Student Engagement.