Join us for the following events as we celebrate Potsdam and the launch of Deeply Rooted, Future Focused: The Campaign for Potsdam.
Thursday, October 22
Bruce Rodgers ’71 Presents A Talk on Artist Communities
Time: Noon
Location: Kellas Hall, 106
Painters, poets, playwrights, writers, sculptors, glassblowers - all artistic creators in all disciplines, there's a place for you. Organizations exist to support you at every career stage - from emerging to fully professional. They are located in the middle of cities and in the middle of nowhere and every place in between. Learn about artist communities, how to find them, how to apply, and how to take advantage of a very special gift of time and space.
Keynote by Bruce Rodgers - Navigating The Future Without a Map
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Kellas Hall, 106
Bruce Rodgers drove to Potsdam on September 10, 1967 in his 1962 VW Microbus for freshman orientation. They gave him a beanie and a handbook. The beanie didn't keep him warm, and the handbook was soon obsolete. The four years from 1967 to 1971 saw some of the most radical, rapid, dynamic social change at SUNY Potsdam, in America, and in the world. Nothing escaped this change, and certainly not Mr. Rodgers' neighborhood.
How did his four-year Potsdam experience prepare him to navigate a life of creativity and creative work - a life for which no handbook could have prepared him. And what lessons can we learn to navigate the radical future looming over our horizon?
Saturday, October 24
Bears Block Party
Time: 3 - 6 p.m.
Location: SUNY Potsdam Academic Quad
Open to SUNY Potsdam students and the campus community, the celebration will feature food trucks, swag, giveaways, and live performances by SUNY Potsdam student musicians The Raquetters and Latin Ensemble.
Co-hosted by Campus Life and the Division of College Advancement, the festival is part of a weekend of events celebrating SUNY Potsdam and the launch of its comprehensive campaign, while showcasing the energy, talent, and creativity of our students.
Live music for this event is sponsored by LoKo Arts as part of its 15th anniversary celebration.
Sunday, October 25
Festival of Lights
Time: 6 - 8 p.m.
Location: SUNY Potsdam Academic Quad
Open to the campus and local community, this fun-for-all-ages celebration will feature illuminated sculptures created by students and regional artists, along with live music from local favorite SFM, glow-in-the-dark activities including Glocade mini-golf, and giveaways. Then, at 8 p.m., look to the skies for a spectacular drone show.
Food and LoKo Arts memorabilia will also be available for purchase.
The Festival of Lights is one of the signature events of LoKo Arts’ 15th anniversary celebration, centered on the theme Illumination, and invites students, alumni, families, and community members to experience the SUNY Potsdam campus in an entirely new light.
Wednesday, April 28 - Sunday, May 2
15th Anniversary LoKo Arts Festival
These LoKo Arts projects are made possible by the generosity and artistic vision of Kathryn (Kofoed) '54 and Donald Lougheed (Hon. '54).
Past Events
Pluralidad: A Concerto for the Contours and Colors
Date: March 5, 2026
Time: 5 - 7 p.m.
Location: The Gibson Gallery
This is a powerful new exhibition by Raquel Acevedo Klein ’16. A dynamic composer, conductor, vocalist, instrumentalist, and visual artist, Klein brings a truly multi-disciplinary arts experience to campus with her latest project, Pluralidad: A Concerto for the Contours and Colors. Through this exhibit, you will see the fantastic blend of colorful pieces and visual storytelling, exploring identity, heritage, and the experiences that shape who we are.
Whether you are drawn to her background music, visual art, or interdisciplinary performance, this exhibition promises an inspiring and thought-provoking experience you won’t want to miss.
Anna Warfield Presentation
Date: March 6, 2026
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Kellas Lecture Hall – Room 106
“My work is queer.
It’s both straightforward and unclear.
It’s a processing of identities - many of them.
It’s about how we communicate; the words we use and don’t use.”
Anna Warfield gave a talk that transcends disciplines, and combined her work with text-based fibers and engaging poetry. Her discussion followed topics like the body, unlearning, communication, identity, and how it all connects with the art she creates. After a months-long residency and exhibition in the North Country, Warfield also shared her experience of showcasing her artwork and navigating a career in professional, visual art.