The Powerhouse Stack was full of chatter, music, and colorful crafts during Beloit College’s first Fall Arts Festival, organized by Art Club and Artists for Change. “I didn’t know what to expect because it was our first year. When I arrived at the event, I was so happy to see everybody engaging with each other while making art,” says Kaila Nork ’26, president of Art Club.

Attendees browsed student art displayed on the tables lining the room. A variety of original pieces were available for purchase, including jewelry, ceramic figurines, bags made from recycled materials, as well as personalized caricatures.

At the craft tables, materials were supplied for attendees to paint tote bags, collage, or create papel picado, traditional Mexican folk art made by designs cut into colorful tissue paper. A makeshift stage offered student musicians a place to perform their own music or sing karaoke.

“The festival stood apart from other campus traditions because it focused directly on the arts, magnifying what is normally a small part of other events. It is completely focused on the artists and promoting their art,” says Oliver Idzikowski ’28, treasurer for Artists for Change.

Both clubs are relatively new on campus; Nork started Art Club (previously Collage Club) in fall 2023, and Artists for Change was established in fall 2024 to bridge the gap between the activist and artistic sides of campus and give students a creative outlet to advocate for social change. Executive boards for both clubs understand the important role clubs play in helping students, especially first-year students, build relationships and connect with peers over shared interests. They also highlight the power of collaboration between clubs.

“There are many ways for student communities to intersect and stage events that weren’t possible before, building something greater than their separate parts,” says Nork. “Even if you think that your club’s focus is unrelated, there’s room for crossover and synergy.”

Fall Arts Festival was a celebration of the diverse talents of Beloit student artists, supporting the work of peers, cheering on student musicians, and crafting together. While each club’s leaders may not have known what to expect, this year’s success has them excited to see how the festival, and working together, evolves in the years to come.