Rashod Ollison
Rashod Ollison, a music and cultural critic, will visit the University of Central Arkansas as artist-in-residence April 5.
Ollison, an Arkansas native, will give a reading, followed by a Q&A and book-signing, at 7:30 p.m. in the College of Business Auditorium 107. The event is free and open to the public.
Ollison has been a staff critic at the Dallas Morning News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Virginian-Pilot, Baltimore Sun and the Journal News in Westchester, N.Y. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2000 with a B.A. in creative writing and journalism with a minor in African-American studies.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rashod Ollison to UCA to share his work and work with our students,” said Dr. Stephanie Vanderslice, professor of Creative Writing and faculty sponsor for the residency.
Some of Ollison’s works include his Virginian-Pilot stories and book “Soul Serenade.” The Virginian-Pilot stories explore different musicians and the culture of music. His book, which also includes a soundtrack, is about the search for himself through music. The book is set in Central Arkansas during the 1980s and ‘90s. More information is available at RashodOllison.com.
“In addition to being the author of a critically acclaimed memoir [“Soul Serenade”], he is also a renowned culture and music critic who can share so much of his writing experience and wisdom with our students,” Vanderslice said.
For more information, contact Vanderslice at 501-450-3340 or stephv@uca.edu.
The Artist in Residence program is funded by UCA’s arts fee and is administered by the College of Fine Arts and Communication. For more information about the program, call the Office of the Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication, at 501-450-3293 or e-mail jdmiller@uca.edu.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, as well as the School of Communication. The College’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call 501-450-3293.
