An interview with WSAF 2013 Coordinators

WSAF 2013 promises to be four days of dramatic and artistic entertainment to look forward to after exams. Boar Arts have spoken with WSAF Coordinators, Lizzie Drapper and Dinesh Napal to find out about the experience of organising such a huge, student run festival and to get a few hints about what we can expect to see this year.

Which societies are involved this year and what kind of shows will there be?
WSAF: This year’s shaping up to be a huge festival, with over 100 acts scheduled across campus. We’ve got various societies involved in the mix, including Music Theatre Warwick, EQHO, Warwick Drumming Society and ArtSoc putting on an extensive showcase of each of their talents.

Tell us a bit about your experience as coordinators this year so far – what has been the best moment and what have you learned? Have you experienced an especially trying moment?
WSAF: We think the worst and best moments have so far happened during the programming stages – sitting in the same room for nearly 10 hours scrolling through submissions is not fun! But it was incredible to see a near complete festival come together at the end of it, and pretty daunting to see the scale of the festival. It’s just fantastic to see our hard work coming slowly to fruition, even now we’re still putting the small, quirky things into motion.

What makes WSAF stand out as a student Arts Festival and what makes it unique?
WSAF: For WSAF specifically, I think the organic nature of it is what sets it apart from other arts festivals. It’s entirely student run, not-for-profit, and has a legacy in not only the arts and humanities, but also across the whole student population. It’s pretty much the biggest possible celebration for young people who love to perform and create.

What’s behind the concept of the different themes for each day and what can we expect to see?
WSAF: The four Cs underpin the whole idea of performance – you create an idea, you collaborate with others, you share your idea with the community, and celebrate it! This year, there’s a secondary theme of the ‘Urban Sense’, aiming to bring forward more urban and contemporary art forms. It was really up to the acts how they incorporated this idea.

What advice would you give to a student who wants to get involved in coordinating a similar event or putting on their own show next year? 
WSAF: You’ve got to be really welcoming and open to any changes or new ideas – it just helps to keep things running smoothly and also account for things you wouldn’t have thought of at all.

Full details of the scheldule on the WSAF website, visit: www.wsaf.co.uk

Editor’s Picks of What’s On at WSAF 2013

Complied by Rebekah Ellerby

1. She Built The City (Saturday 22 June, 10am) Humanities Studio

Freshblood presents a new play about the imagination and damaging effects of art on the psyche

2. Waiting for Godot (Monday 24 June, 12.30pm) Area by the Koan

Samuel Beckett’s quintessential, absurdist play, in its 60th anniversary year

3. Improv the Musical (Monday 24 June, 1.30pm) Arts Centre Studio

MTW’s annual, improvised musical, sure to entertain with unpolished wit

4. Death and the Maiden (Monday 24 June, 2.30pm) Ensemble Room

WUDS present Ariel Dorfman’s classic moral thriller

5. The Highest Fence (Monday 24 June, 9pm) Arts Centre Studio

Freshblood and Codpiece unite forces for this large cast production

6. Mural Painting with Art Soc (Monday 24 June, all day) Outside the Arts Centre

Interactive mural painting event to create a collaborative masterpiece

7. Creative Careers Coach (Monday & Tuesday, 1pm) Area by the Koan

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