In the wide world of blogging, function inevitably follows form. We work within the given bounds of a highly specific web structure and try to get relevant information and exciting stories in front of our readers. Sometimes this means re-posting a story a dozen times to work out the kinks. Photo galleries, hyperlinks, HTML code… it can be tricky stuff, and frankly, we were getting a little big for our britches.
Fine and performing arts are creative, visual, and highly participatory, and our old design just wasn’t cutting it. We wanted our posts to come alive on screen to animate and engage our vibrant subject matter. We wanted our readers to be able to stream videos and browse animated photo slideshows, so you can see and hear what we’re talking about. We want you to be able to friend us on Facebook or tweet at us with a single click. We want you to be able to find event details and ticket information without getting lost in our big scary system. In short, we wanted form to follow function.
We wanted it, and now we’ve got it all – we’re proud to present the second generation of ArtsAlive. It’s the same stories about arts in Chicago and pertinent information and links for arts on campus, reimagined for a new arts season and a new era in user-friendly blogging. We’ll be loading up the site with fresh graphics, embedding videos, and continuing to update with stories about what creative people are up to in this world-class metropolis of ours.
Now, you can scroll through “Featured Posts” at the top of the screen and catch up on the big news. Patrons and local arts enthusiasts can use the “Events” tab on the left-hand side of your screen to find information about this year’s spate of plays, musicals, concerts, dance performances, and visual arts exhibitions. Click the plus sign in the bottom right-hand corner to learn more about us, and scroll down to the calendar widget on the right to browse upcoming events. Students and industry professionals should peruse the “Get Involved” and “E-Audition” pages for up-to-date internship and audition information, both on campus and around the city.
And finally, let us know what you think about our new site (or anything at all) using the Facebook and Twitter links on the right-hand menu bar. Sign up for our email list for updates and check out our Flickr photostream while you’re over there. Bear with us as we work out the inevitable kinks in the transition. And in the meantime, we hope you’ll keep reading, keep coming out to events, and keep letting us know what you want to see up here.
