To the Editor,

We are writing in response to the article in October 18th’s Daily about rehearsal and performance spaces for student arts groups. We are in complete agreement with the author that the campus needs more spaces for student arts-making. We have been working over the last year with representatives from across the university – including ASSU and student arts leadership – to create new spaces for student rehearsal and performance, because we strongly believe these should be more easily available. The recently built Arrillaga Family Dining Commons houses a studio space with sprung floors that can be used for dance and other rehearsals. A recent upgrade to the theater in Roble Hall is just a first step in a more long-term plan that involves upgrading existing spaces and creating new ones. We would welcome the opportunity to work with Viraj Bindra and other student leaders on these plans.

We would like, however, to correct some false impressions created by the article. There are numerous minor inaccuracies, but two larger ones stand out.

The Stanford Arts Institute has no programming in Roble Dance Studio or in Braun Music Center and plays no role in scheduling those facilities. Roble Dance Studio is programmed by the Department of Theater and Performance Studies and Braun Music Center is programmed by the Department of Music.

It is also not accurate to say that Elliott Program Center is open only to Governor’s Corner residents. In fact, over the past year EPC has been prioritized for arts use and made available to arts-makers from across campus, thanks to efforts by our colleague James Cadena, the Director of Arts in Residential Education.

We are concerned that no effort was made to contact us to verify the accuracy of your information or to obtain our perspective, and we hope that you will make every effort to verify the accuracy of your reporting in the future.

We share the frustration over the lack of space for student arts-making and are working to create more opportunities for students to create, rehearse, and perform around campus. We welcome the opportunity for dialogue and for working together to make improvements for student artists.

Sincerely,

Stephen Hinton, Director, Stanford Arts Institute

Matthew Tiews, Executive Director of Arts Programs