The University of Iowa School of Art and Art History welcomes the public to enjoy an evening of fun and culture at 2013 ArtsFest, which will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 3, in the Studio Arts Building at 1375 Highway 1 West in Iowa City.

ArtsFest is a free, interactive art experience presented by School of Art and Art History graduate and undergraduate students that will feature artwork by the students, as well as demonstrations and hands–on opportunities in studio art and art history.

This year’s theme centers around how technology has made an impact on art. One exhibit at this year’s event will showcase Leonar3Do software, technology that transforms the 2-D flat dimension of desktop computers and other devices into a real 3-D work environment. The UI is the only school in the country currently teaching the Leonar3Do course. As the accompanying video shows, the software is quite intuitive—a claim the public can verify at this year’s festival.

The UI was one of the first universities in the nation to unite studio art, art history, and art education in one school. Studio artists are able to choose from an array of concentration areas: ceramics, graphic design, 3-D design, drawing, intermedia, jewelry and metal arts, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. U.S. News & World Report ranks Iowa’s graduate printmaking program No. 2 in the nation, and the Master of Fine Arts program No. 7 among public universities.

The School of Art and Art History is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For accommodations at the festival contact the School of Art and Art History at 319- 335-1771. For a UI arts calendar and details about upcoming events visit the new Arts Iowa website.