It’s a residence hall unlike any other.
A hallway of practice rooms. A computer lab for music composition and design. A dance studio and visual art studio. And hundreds of student artists creating and collaborating.
UNC Greensboro’s Cone Residence Hall is home to Studio 91, a new living community for students who share a common passion for the arts. The residence hall includes a variety of arts facilities – open 24/7 – that allow students dedicated space to work on their creative endeavors without leaving where they live.
The community, which opened in the fall of 2018, also offers arts-centric programming, mentorship, and close proximity to the School of Music.
Sidney Stretz, the undergraduate academic advisor for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, has witnessed firsthand the impact that Studio 91 has had on its students.
“The spaces in Studio 91 have really helped the students investigate their own practice and build a positive practice, because they’re physically so convenient,” she said.
Perhaps even more important than the spaces are the relationships that the spaces help foster.
“They are building this really great network of friends and colleagues that I guarantee they will use after they graduate.”
Stretz’s office is located on the first floor of the residence hall, making it easier for arts students to access advising services. Roughly 60% of Studio 91 residents are students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The remaining 40% have an interest in the arts.
Additionally, throughout the year, Studio 91 hosts a variety of faculty and student-led events and workshops designed for student artists. Topics include work/life balance for career artists, mindfulness and breathing, and managing performance anxiety.
It’s this kind of environment that sets up students for success, both in the classroom and on the stage, in the gallery, at the concert hall, and anywhere else the students may share their talents.
Dance major Azaria Gadson lived in Studio 91 last year. She says the experience made her a better dancer because it gave her the opportunity to “take her work home.”
“I really wanted to be in a space where I could practice my profession,” she said.
Want to learn more? Visit vpa.uncg.edu/home/studio91. Any first-year students interested in applying to Studio 91 should complete the New Student Housing Application.
Story by Alyssa Bedrosian, University Communications
Photography by Martin W. Kane, University Communications
