Jennifer Dai, Vivian Lam and Lola Liu move fast to find the craft supplies they need at last Tuesday's Artsbreak in the Michigan Union.

If nothing else, the bright yellow paper covering two long tables in the Michigan Union ground floor – the union’s lower level food court, known as the MUG – would have tipped you off that something was going on last Tuesday night. Another clue: two smaller tables crammed with bottles of glitter, colored markers, spools of ribbon, boxes of rubber stamps, and sheefs of stickers and colored paper.

For the past few years, Tuesday nights at the MUG have been alive with arts and crafts provided by Artsbreak. Together with Friday night UMix, another event intended to bring students together, Artsbreak provides a chance for students to escape the stressful life of a University of Michigan undergrad and have a little fun. Whether it’s making Hershey kiss roses for Valentine’s Day or picture frames out of wires, every Tuesday you’re guaranteed to see at least a few people getting their hands dirty – or sticky with glue.

Because Artsbreak is a University Unions Arts and Programs event, UUAP supplies the funding for the arts and crafts supplies used at these gatherings. That means it’s free for all participants. Usually, Artsbreak draws about 50 people between 8-11 p.m., according to Jennifer Nimtz, program assistant. 

Due to bad weather (it was raining steadily throughout the evening), turnout last Tuesday was low. When The Chronicle dropped by, only one crafter was there – Charlotte Campbell, an Artsbreak first-timer, was making some small scrapbooks. A little while later, three regulars showed up: Undergraduates Jennifer Dai, Vivian Lam and Lola Liu said they come just about every week. Otherwise, the tables set aside for Artsbreak were pretty bare, aside from their yellow coverings.

Jennifer Nimtz, program assistant for Artsbreak.

Nimtz wasn’t bothered by the low turnout. It’s important to be there, regardless of who shows up. “It is just a break for Michigan students,” she said. “The great thing about arts and crafts is that it is not just for one group of people… it appeals to everyone.”

The other students studying at the MUG room did seem curious about what was going on at Artsbreak. Though only a few people actually made their way over to construct the paper bag scrapbooks – a project meant to honor Earth Day on April 22 – the activities had a least caught everyone’s eye.

Editor’s note: Megan Eve Ryan is a University of Michigan student and an intern with The Ann Arbor Chronicle.

LunaFest celebrated its eighth anniversary this year, premiering on over 170 screens throughout the country. Ann Arbor played host to the event, which featured 10 short films written “by… for… about women.” Dozens of people filled the hall, excitedly talking about what was to come. “What do you think the films will be about?” “I heard one of them was about female wrestlers.” “Do you think they’ll be good?”

The festival was established in 2000 by LUNA, makers of the nutrition bar for women. This Ann Arbor event was sponsored by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, which raises money on behalf of promoting the well-being of women. Profits were split between SAPAC and the Breast Cancer Fund, with some used to purchase prizes offered to the attendees in the form of a raffle during the festival’s intermission.

Jamie Budnick, who works with SAPAC, introduced the festival. Devoted to increased awareness for women’s issues, she said, LunaFest also works to promote women as leaders in society.

When she finished, the room darkened and the first movie began. Titled “Big Girl,” it explored the dynamics between a little girl and the man her mother is dating. This feel-good short reflected women in relationships, a popular theme throughout the event.

While “Big Girl” explored that theme through the life of a young girl, the concept was revisited in a different generation with “The Ladies,” which followed the lives of two elderly female roommates. Sisters Mimi and Vali are impossible to hate as they lightly talk about sex and the relationships they’ve had throughout their life. At one point as Mimi discusses her first husband, she explains that he was a good man, yet he had one small problem: “He had a tendency for homosexuals.”

The films ranged from animation in “My First Crush,” in which men and women admitted their first memories of “crushing” by lending their voices to various cartoon animals, to documentaries like “Kaden,” which featured the tribulations of life as a transgender, or “34x25x36,” which showed the process used to achieve the perfect figure – building mannequins.

An hour and a half later when the movies were done, the success of the festival was evident. Walking out of the room, the air was filled with animated chatter: “I loved ‘Grappling Girls’ – how cool would it be to be a female wrestler?” “‘Red Wednesday’ was amazing. That little girl was incredible.”

From appreciation for the directing to intrigue for the content, LunaFest delivered on its promise for emotional and moving films. Upon leaving, one attendee promised, “I am going to make a movie and it’s going to be in LunaFest. Well, more realistically, I am going to help out with the event next year. I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. I am so happy I came.”

Editor’s note: Megan Eve Ryan is a University of Michigan student and an intern with The Ann Arbor Chronicle. This is her first column for The Chronicle.