How this Fall Festival icon is raising money for Art Club – The Shield

The USI Art Club participates in the Fall Festival in a way that some would call “cheesy.” Literally!

The Art Club Corn Stand, #38, has been a Fall Festival staple for years. From the original sale of buttered corn on the cob to the sale of elote (Mexican street corn), the corn stand is unique in every way.

“I think what sets the Corn Stand apart from the other stands at the Fall Festival is that it was entirely handmade by people who are passionate about the Art Club and its members,” said Violet Thomas-Cummings, Vice President of the Art Club. “Not only are paintings added to the exterior by Art Club members each year, but the entire trailer was hand-built by faculty when the Art Club began work on the Fall Festival.”

Thomas-Cummings said members are encouraged to label the inside of the stand with a corn-themed pun so they remain “part of the stand forever.”

Greg Blair, Art Club faculty advisor and assistant professor of art and design, said the club begins preparing for the fall festival in July.

“It’s an incredible amount of work,” he said. “It’s the only fundraiser we do.”

Blair said most of the money the club raises at the Fall Festival goes toward its annual trip abroad.

“The idea is that the Art Club uses the money we make from our booth at Fall Fest to kind of subsidize the trip,” he said. “We make it very affordable for students.”

Every hour a member works at the corn stand, $10 is deducted from their travel expenses. Blair said he had some students work at the corn stand long enough to be able to go on the trip for free.

“This allows our members to visit art galleries, museums and artists’ studios at a very affordable price – while simultaneously delving deeper into the art world, away from the places where they feel most comfortable,” said Thomas-Cummings.

In the past, the Art Club visited Chicago, Illinois and Cincinnati, Ohio. This year the club will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, a city they have never visited as a group.

“We try to have an artistic focus, but also look at it as a kind of urban cultural experience,” Blair said.

The Art Club trip includes guided activities such as visits to museums or galleries, as well as time for students to explore different parts of the city together.

“Sometimes there may be something specific that a student has researched and wants to do, but we also provide a list of other interesting cultural activities that they can do,” Blair said.

Thomas-Cummings said the remainder of the fall festival funds will go toward funding standard meeting activities.

Blair said the Art Club offers a variety of activities throughout the year, including workshops, art exhibitions and social outings. Sometimes Art Club events are open to the public if they provide artistic and educational opportunities for the entire student body.

The Art Club membership fee is $5, but members will likely get that money back in the form of free food.

“The membership fee is not really how we raise money for our activities. That’s really the corn stand,” Blair said.

If one thing is certain, the corn shack is here to stay.

“I love working the corn stand because I get to people watch, jam to music and spend time with other artists,” Thomas-Cummings said.