ABERDEEN, S.D. – An upcoming arts event in downtown Aberdeen that benefits Safe Harbor will feature artwork by Northern State University students.

“A Night of Art and Poetry” will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at Red Rooster Coffee House, 202 S. Main St. The event is a collaborative effort involving NSU students and faculty, Safe Harbor and local high school students.

The event, which is free and open to the public, honors National Poetry Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Proceeds from artwork sold will benefit Safe Harbor, Aberdeen’s domestic violence shelter.

Featured guest will be poet Christine Stewart-Nuñez, associate professor in the English Department at South Dakota State University. Her piece "An Archeology of Secrets" was a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2012. Earlier that day, Stewart-Nuñez will work with Northern students, and she will also present a poetry reading in the NSU Williams Library Round Room at 4:30 p.m.

NSU English Professor Dr. Lysbeth Benkert and some students will also read poetry at the event, and there will be time for an open mic session.

To create the artwork on display at “A Night of Art and Poetry,” Benkert’s students will provide snippets of poems to students of NSU Art Professor Sara Christensen Blair. The design students will then create visual pieces incorporating the poetry. Local high school students will collaborate to create artwork in the same way.

Benkert said “A Night of Art and Poetry” will provide students an opportunity to take what they learn in the classroom and apply their skills to the real world – that’s what education at NSU is all about.

“The education you get isn’t just about getting the degree,” she said. “It’s about being a well-rounded person. … It’s about making your life mean something.”

For more information about “A Night of Art and Poetry,” contact Safe Harbor at 605-226-1212.

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.