The Duke University Union put its money where its mouth is at a general body meeting Tuesday night.
The Union pledged money to a party that it will co-sponsor with Mi Gente and the Duke University Libraries, as well as for a new art studio and a week of programming run by Crazies Who Care, a student-managed charity organization.
The party will take place in Perkins and Bostock libraries Feb. 29 and will be set to a theme of "Latin Chic." In keeping with the concept, the party will feature mojitos, Brazilian jazz and performances by student groups such as Sabrosura.
DUU pledged $8,000 toward the event, primarily to cover the cost of the musical entertainment. Along with the Brazilian jazz group and a mambo band, student bands Stella by Starlight and Smooch and the Big Hug have been booked, said President Katelyn Donnelly, a senior.
Some of the money for the event was originally intended for the now-defunct formal that was slated to take place at the Washington Duke Inn, officers said.
Discussion then moved on to a proposed art studio that will be open to non-art majors.
The studio, which was introduced by Visual Arts Committee Director Beatrice Crosti and Stella Wang, both juniors, will likely be located in Edens Quadrangle.
Wang said the studio will be mainly for the use of non-art majors, who currently do not have access to similar resources at Duke.
She added that the Union hopes to have workshops there, possibly run by artists with exhibits in the Louise Jones Brown Gallery, located in the Bryan Center. There will likely be a satellite program on East Campus hosted by the Duke Coffeehouse.
"I think it's a really great idea and shows the Union's commitment to the arts that we've been talking about for a while," Donnelly said.
DUU approved a $1,982 budget for resources and programming for the studio.
The final project to receive funding was a proposal by Crazies Who Care for a week of programming in Krzyzewskiville before the game against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill March 8.
The Union dedicated approximately $500 to help fund the events.
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