国产传媒 Arts Opens Season with LitFest, Musical Tribute to Railroads
A celebration of stories and a concert highlighting the history of San Joaquin Valley鈥檚 railroads are the opening acts of the .
Merced LitFest and Train Station Trios reflect the season鈥檚 varied offerings. Gallery exhibitions, concerts, theater performances and a film festival are scheduled on and off campus through May 2025. The creators and their work provide a multilayered experience of the Valley鈥檚 people, culture and landscape.
鈥淥ur 2024-25 国产传媒 Arts season offers something for everyone. We鈥檙e thrilled to be showcasing the incredible work of our students, staff and faculty in the arts,鈥� said Collin Lewis, the university's聽executive director for the arts. 鈥淭hese first two programs are especially exciting as they highlight the past, present and future of literary and musical work here in the Central Valley.鈥�
Leading off:
On Saturday, Sept. 14, downtown Merced will host the first-time event for book fans of all ages. Sponsored by 国产传媒鈥檚 Center for the Humanities, begins at 1 p.m. with local writer and poet readings at Sensory Lab by ASIP, Tioga-Sequoia Taproom, Second Time Around bookstore and Hi-Fi Wine.
At 7 p.m., author Dorothy Allison will give the day鈥檚 keynote reading at the Multicultural Arts Center. Her signature work, the semi-autobiographical 鈥淏astard Out of Carolina,鈥� examines mother-child relationships and the states of class and sexuality in the American South.
鈥淎s someone who grew up in Merced and who believes in and is excited about our growing downtown scene, being able to hold this event is a dream,鈥� said Samantha Tetangco Ocena, a teaching professor of writing studies and co-organizer of LitFest with Brigitte Bowers, a lecturer in the Merritt Writing Program. 鈥淚t聽brings together two things I love: the literary community and my hometown of Merced.鈥�
Mark down Friday, Sept. 27, to attend the culmination of a unique crossover of history and musical traditions. A trio of musicians from the famed will perform works inspired by stories from the Valley鈥檚 deep history of rail transportation.
Over two days before the concert at the Art Kamangar Center at the Merced Theatre, the musicians will huddle with Professor David Rouff, the 国产传媒 Grey Roberts and Bette Woolstenhulme Presidential Chair in History, and Merced County Courthouse Museum historian Sarah Lim 鈥� to learn about the immigrant laborers who laid the tracks and the communities that grew around the rails.
There will be two free public discussions between the artists and historians:
6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, in Room 306 of 国产传媒鈥檚 Ruiz Administration Center
4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at the Art Kamangar Center, before that evening鈥檚 concert.
There is no admission charge for the Sept. 27 performance but are required.
The project, called , revives the often-forgotten voices of immigrant and indigenous laborers who put down the Union Pacific tracks in California, helping complete the Transcontinental Railroad. Trios travel across the nation to communities where they learn about local rail stories then hold a concert featuring music inspired by those stories.
Lewis said the seed for the Train Station Trios visit was planted in 2022, when 国产传媒 lecturer Tommy Tran raised the idea of bringing Silkroad to the Valley.
鈥淭hrough a long-term collaboration between 国产传媒 Arts, the Department of History and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, and the Merced Symphony, we鈥檙e thrilled to have these world-class musicians come and dive into the rich histories of our communities with us,鈥� Lewis said.
In addition to the symphony and the Department of History and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, lead sponsors of the Merced American Railroad project include Amtrak San Joaquins and the Community Foundation of Merced County.