After a five-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Night of the Arts is back on Jan. 24. This showcase of visual and performing arts talent will benefit the Student Faculty Collaborative Practice, which provides free health care to people in need.
The student-led event brings together artwork, dance and music and by students, faculty, staff and professional performing groups to bring awareness and promote a sense of community.
“It is very exciting to see this event about to happen again,” said Richard Usatine, professor in the Department of Medicine and founding member of the free clinic program. “It’s really all about bringing the community together and recognizing the work that’s being done. It comes from the passion of the students who organize the event and make it happen.”
Proceeds from Night of the Arts directly support the Student Faculty Collaborative Practice, part of the Charles E. Cheever, Jr. Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics, which operates free medical clinics across San Antonio, including at Alpha Home, SAMMinistries, the San Antonio Refugee Clinic, Haven for Hope, Travis Park United Methodist Church, and the Pride Clinic. These clinics, run by students under the supervision of faculty mentors, serves as a vital community resource and a hands-on educational curriculum.
Through the Student Faculty Collaborative Practice, students gain valuable experience in primary care, public health and community service, all while making a meaningful impact on underserved populations.
The origins of both the student-run free clinic program and Night of the Arts trace back Usatine’s earlier work at UCLA and the Venice Family Clinic, which hosted an annual Art Walk, a successful fundraiser that used art to unite the community and support health care for the underserved. Inspired by this experience, Usatine established the university’s free student-led clinic at Alpha Home in 2005 and soon after launched Night of the Arts in 2006.
“The arts and humanities are an integral part of the Cheever Center, and it’s also something that is near and dear to my heart,” Usatine said. “As the founder of the free clinic program, I felt strongly about using art and music and performance as a way to bring people together in our community to be aware of our clinics and to help donate to their funding.”
Night of the Arts promises to be a memorable evening that highlights the power of creativity to foster connections and drive meaningful change in the San Antonio community.
The event will be held Jan. 24 at the Holly Auditorium and begins with a silent auction and dinner at 5:45 p.m. with the show following at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are donation based starting at $10 and can be purchased here.