AMPlifying the Arts will be holding events on campus Thursday and Friday.

AMP will have approximately 35 arts activities going on at the Student Center, Sponberg Theatre, Alexander and Sherzer. All activities are free.

The arts festival kicks off with the Can Art competition, which collects canned goods from students and turns them into works of art.

Dorrie Milan, the president of AMP, states that there will be three different groups and sculptures: VISION/Greek Life (at the Student Center in front of the bookstore), IGG/AMP (at the Library in the main area near the front desk) and Entrepreneurship Club in the College of Business (on the second floor).

“Each team began compiling cans on Saturday to begin their construction; each team is building a food themed sculpture,” Milan said. “This competition is in conjunction with Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week and sculptures will be completed by Wednesday and professional artists will judge the competition.”

“All canned goods will be donated to Food Gatherers on Friday, so be sure to check out the sculptures before then,” Milan said.

Students may donate canned goods at any of the three locations.

Also on Wednesday EMU’s Dance Program will present select dance pieces in the auditorium and the Student Center between 10:30 and 11 a.m.

In addition, students can get a taste of what local musicians are doing, from electronic and rap, to acoustic and world music in the Student Center between 4 and 7 p.m.

There will also be a performance hour in Sponberg starting at 5:00 p.m. , as well as a presentation by the Poetry Society (location and time TBA).

On Thursday, Sponberg will hold “Aesop’s Fables,” presented by ETC at 3 p.m. and for those students looking to unwind, Thursday evening on campus is the place to be.

Two stand-up comics, Gordon Kangas and Tommy Simon, will be offering belly-busters in Sponberg between 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. This will be followed by the wizzes of wizard rock, Tonks and the Aurors, headed by the talented Stephanie Anderson at 8:30 p.m.

The Sky Lounge in the Student Center will be open from 9 p.m. to midnight for all students to unwind after all of the great shows with some cool jazz.

These are but a few of the events occurring this year at the AMPlifying the Arts festival. For more information and a schedule of all the events, including displays of original artwork and a fashion show, please visit www.emich.edu/emuamp.