WINSTON-SALEM – Students at the North Carolina School of the Arts will celebrate the grand opening of their new Hanes Student Commons with numerous activities this weekend, including a concert by one of the most popular bands in the country.  

Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday night, Oct. 17, students will be treated to movies made by or featuring NCSA students and alumni in the Eisenberg Social Hall. The films will run all night. 

On Saturday, Oct. 18, students will have their own festival when the “Commons Carnival” swings into action from 2-6 p.m.  Midway games, prizes, refreshments, and a caricature artist will be featured. A cookout on the North Patio will follow from 4:30-6:30 p.m.  

Sunday, Oct. 19, will bring the pièce de résistance: a concert by the popular band Jump, Little Children. The As-Is Ensemble will open for the band beginning at 8 p.m. in the Eisenberg Social Hall. Both groups have local ties. 

Jump, Little Children features NCSA alumni Evan Bivins ’92; Matt Bivins ’90, Jay Clifford ’92 and Ward Williams ’94, as well as Jonathan Gray. The Charleston, S.C.-based band has had four releases (including the recent “Vertigo”), has toured with Hootie and the Blowfish, and is fresh from its national tour, opening for Howie Day. 

A New York-based “gypsy jazz band,” the As-Is Ensemble includes NCSA alumnus Michael Bellar ’92 along with Jamie Moore and Andrew Hall. The ensemble has made two recordings and is currently recording a new CD. In addition, Bellar has recently been touring with Art Garfunkel.  

The offices of the Student Commons and Student Activities, part of the Division of Student Life, are sponsoring the grand opening celebration. 

The new Hanes Student Commons, named in honor of Charlotte and Philip Hanes of Winston-Salem, was officially dedicated on Sept. 25. Originally built during 1969-70 for 400 students, the commons building was closed for renovations and the construction of an addition in 1999. As the nerve center for the campus, it was sorely missed. The spacious new Hanes Student Commons has increased from 36,000 to 51,000 square feet, on three levels, to accommodate the more than 1,000 students who are now enrolled at NCSA. 

MEDIA: You are cordially invited to cover the grand opening activities! Please note that the activities are for NCSA students and are not open to the public. However, we expect a standing-room-only crowd for Sunday’s concert. For more information, contact Marla Carpenter at 336-770-3337 in the public relations office at NCSA.

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