Programs

In addition to standard COOT orientation activities, this trip provides an invitation for arts-minded first year students to encounter arts resources on campus and in Waterville and a chance to engage in Lyons Lab programmed creative projects at Bearnstow on Parker Pond in Mount Vernon, Maine.

This program helps students working to develop and hone their creative voice, explore a new area, or refine an existing project with professional feedback and guidance. The lab, in consultation with the student and faculty, will help identify a professional mentor to work directly with the student.

• A one-time consultancy, helping students identify next steps, make important connections, or address a particular skill
• Creative Coaching to offer critical feedback or help students develop and deepen their work over time
• Embedded mentoring wherein mentors work alongside students as collaborators to support a project’s execution from the inside

Applications reviewed after the 15^th of each month from September-November and February-April

This support helps provide students with resources to:

• encounter work in the field that will directly impact a proposed project
• materials needed to explore and test a new idea
• materials needed to put the finishing touches on an existing project

These programs are designed to help students test and deepen ideas experientially with an attention to the creative process. These awards support materials or exposure that a student needs to develop their ideas (eg: canvases, hard drives, travel to a site, admission tickets to a performance or exhibition, hourly space rental, technical support, documentation, framing.) The maximum award is $500.

Applications reviewed after the 15^th of each month from September-November and February-April

The Lab, working in conjunction with academic ITS and Colby’s arts departments can help give students access to equipment or technology they need to pursue their creative research. All non-consumable goods (technology, reusable equipment, etc.) remain property of the college. Students may sign out an item for the duration of a project on a short- or long-term basis, including over the summer.

Requests for software for a student’s personal computer are considered only in conjunction with a faculty-supported independent study or project.

Requests reviewed after the 15^th of each month from September-November and February-April

This program helps provide students with resources to execute a significant creative research project. Awards are competitive and collaborative and multi-disciplinary projects are prioritized. In close consultation with a faculty advisor and/or Lyons Lab staff, students or teams of students will work to develop the scope, timeline, needs of each project. Lab staff is available to work with students on the development of their proposals.

Students are eligible to apply for major project support if they meet any of the following criteria:

• At least one project leader has received a seed grant or creative coaching from the lab, and successfully demonstrated both its impact and the student’s commitment to rigorous creative research in a written report.
• An arts major or minor working directly with a faculty advisor on a significant academic project.

Students are eligible to apply for a Lyons Lab Independent study (for academic credit) for major projects.

Intent to apply due: March 15 for fall projects & October 15 for spring projects.

Final proposals due: November 15  for fall projects & April 15 for spring projects

Students with accepted major project proposals or at the recommendation of a faculty person are invited to apply for on campus creative residencies immediately before the school year begins or for the days after the school year closes. The Lab provides the pre- or post-board support to enable students to be housed in their on campus residences, and the students can devote their undivided time and energy to a project. Priority is given to collaborative teams and inter-disciplinary projects.

Application by invitation

In the arts, the opportunity to pursue summer study at workshops, festivals, or certificate programs can substantially impact a student’s work. The Lyons Arts Lab can help support such summer study in programs that do not fall under the categories eligible for support through Davis Connects. Priority is given to students who have demonstrated an academic commitment to the arts in the area they wish to study and financial need is taken into consideration.

Applications due March 1