An exciting symposium at the Center For Games and Playable Medialaunches on May 10th. Celebrated game designer Warren Spector, former VP of Disney, will expand on his vision for the games industry moving toward a wide range of fundamental themes. Arts alumni passionate about games and/or storytelling will want to save the date. And find out more about speakers and topics: http://ifog.soe.ucsc.edu/schedule/

Art alumnus Rick Carter, who won an Oscar for his work on Avatar - designed the current Steven Spielberg production, Lincoln.

Film alum Jacob Aaron Estes returns to campus October 4 for a special preview screening of his new film, The Details, starring Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, Ray Liotta and Laura Linney.

In June Dean Yager went to Washington DC where he met with UCSC alum and former Theater Arts student Rachel Goslins. Goslins is currently Executive Director of President Obama's Committee on Arts & Humanities.

Theater Arts alumnus Eric Ladue is currently pursuing post-graduate studies in Perugia, Italy.

Last month Arts Dean David Yager joined forces with winemaker/UCSC alum Randall Grahm to help launch the first-ever Banana Slug wine.

Made by Grahm's Bonny Doon Vineyards, and showcasing a colorful label designed by Art major Louise Leong, the wine is a 2010 Roussanne from Beeswax Vineyard in the Hollister region. Sales of the new Slug wine will benefit Arts student scholarships.

Yale University Art Gallery director Jock Reynolds returns to his alma mater on April 19 for a lecture and discussion about the role of the museum in coming decades.

This presentation is part of the series of free, public lectures in the 2012 Arts Dean's Lecture Series entitled "Reshaping the Museum: Creating New Knowledge, Engaging the Mind" (part of the course HAVC/ART 007: "Issues in the Arts," taught by Associate Professor and Patricia & Rowland Rebele Chair in History of Art and Visual Culture, Elisabeth Cameron).  Arts Dean David Yager has selected the speakers, all noted for their unique ability to bridge museum practices and for creating new knowledge within their professional career paths. The public is cordially invited. Admission is free.

Art alumna Katerina Lanfranco opened her exhibition "Natural Selection" in the Sesnon Gallery on February 1. Running through March 16, 2012, the installation showcases Lanfranco's on-going artistic dialogue with natural forms and the intricate paper arts of Asia. Currently living and working in Manhattan, Lanfranco lived in Japan during a 6-month NEA Creative Arts Fellowship residency. A 2002 graduate of UCSC, Ms. Lanfranco currently teaches art at the Museum of Modern Art and Fordham University in NYC.

Music alumnus (2006) and former lighting programmer for Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Zach Peletz is currently a busy lighting and media programmer. Peletz, who created his own major, a blend of music and lighting design (Theater Arts), worked on events ranging from the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics to The Shanghai World Expo and Live Earth, before going freelance in 2010.  Currently Peletz is designing the look of Bob Dylan’s Fall Tour, Beyonce’s European Tour 2011 and the Disney Dream musical for Disney Cruises.

ŸUCSC alumnus Timothy Jordan —5th year Certificate Theater Arts, DANM MFA, and BS in Computer Engineering, is currently Developer Advocate for the exciting new Google+ Project. When not social network developing, Jordan announces for the Silicon Valley Roller Girls.

Ÿ Country and bluegrass singer/songwriter Gillian Welch (UCSC Art alumna in Photography) has just released her fifth studio album, The Harrow & The Harvest. The grammy nominated singer will tour England and various US destinations this season, along with her musical partner David Rawlings.

Theater Arts alumna Gina Marie Hayes has founded two production companies: Shrunken Head Productions, a quarterly musical theater group in Santa Barbara and Red Egg Theater in Santa Cruz. Most recently she directed “Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party” by Aaron Loeb at City Lights Theater Company, and “The Book of Tink” by Erik Ehn at Red Egg Theater. She currently serves as the Assistant to the Artistic Director and Intern Coordinator at Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

“A Song for Ourselves,” by Tadashi Nakamura (Soc Doc '08), has won multiple awards from various film festivals, including: Best Documentary Short Film – Urbanworld Film Festival, 2009; Best Short Documentary – DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, 2009 and Short Film Special Jury Award – San Diego Asian Film Festival, 2009.

Marti Noxon is a television and film writer perhaps best known for her work as a writer and executive producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Her feature debut I am Number Four was recently released in February 2011. Noxon followed this with Dreamworks’ Fright Night, which opened in August 2011, starring Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell.  Noxon’s writing and producing credits include such popular shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Brothers & Sisters, Point Pleasant, and Still Life.  The UCSC alumna has formed a production company, Grady Twins Productions, with longtime collaborator Dawn Olmstead.  "No one can deny that our UCSC experience was life changing, and that today we are successfully working at our craft because of that experience.  I personally have not celebrated that pride enough, so I have made a gift to the Arts Excellence Fund to help develop and support the divisional visiting artists project, which also supports scholarships, internships, symposiums and special needs.  I ask only you JOIN ME and MAKE A GIFT.  Give what you can.  No gift is too small."

Closing the Gap - Slugfest in Hollywood: ŸCompleting the outreach for filmmakers and videographers—begun at the “Bridging the Gap” film symposium at UCSC this past June—a gala celebration and mixer “Closing the Gap” will bring filmmakers, producers, alumni together with Arts Dean David Yager at Hollywood’s Soho House this October 9.  Starting with a presentation to honor Marti Noxon, of Buffy the Vampire Killer renown, the event will gather UCSC alums engaged in the arts and film communities of southern California. On hand to pour his own Bonny Doon Vineyard wines, as well as recall his own days at UCSC will be celebrated winemaker and raconteur Randall Grahm.

“Closing the Gap” begins at 5:30 for a cocktail reception and then moves into the theatre at 6:30 for a video clip of Noxon’s work, an award presentation,  and remarks from Dean David Yager about his vision for the arts division, the new intern program, and the buzz about the proposed museum/ film building.  The action will continue on in the main Penthouse Lounge for food, drinks, and catching up on post-UCSC careers and ambitions.