Arts Matters (Yes, They Do – and Why!)

Daniel S. Burton

Do Arts matter? Arts Matters says yes, and our interview with the University of New Brunswick’s Arts Student Engagement Officer Tabatha Armstrong and the Arts Matters Student Organizing Team expresses just why!

March 20-22, 2025 marks the 10th annual Arts Matters conference at UNB Fredericton. Hosted by our Faculty of Arts, the undergraduate academic conference is accepting submissions of creative, academic, and research-based work up until February 28th, 2025! 

Student Organizer Halimat Shittu notes that “Arts” is a broad field; humanities, social sciences, visual arts, and fine arts are all in the mix. 

But what does the Arts Matters Conference aim to achieve? 

According to Shittu, the Arts Matters conference aims to achieve a sense of community and inclusion to celebrate collaborative efforts and amazing works of students from the various sectors under the liberal arts. Invitation to the conference was also extended to many Eastern Canadian universities to garner community support and diverse perspectives!

Tabatha Armstrong stated: “Our goal is to create an accessible and welcoming environment for undergraduate students to get some experience sharing their work with their peers.”

This year, the event is hosting a panel discussion featuring students, staff, and community members on top of creative content: a play, a game demo, and a mural workshop! 

The next big question is why submit your work at all? 

There is no better way to get yourself out there! As Shittu says, “there are so many brilliant students, talents and creatives in the faculty who are yet to be noticed.” Arts Matters gives students opportunities to get valuable feedback and meet new faces who have interest in their work.

Tabatha Armstrong gave the insight that “learning how to share your work with others is an essential skill. [Arts Matters provides] a supportive and fun opportunity to do this that is low-risk and high-reward… It’s not often that we have opportunities to connect across disciplines and celebrate our different approaches to problems… Attending the conference events is also a great way to support your classmates, learn something new, meet new people… And you don’t have to attend every event. We encourage attendees to pick the events that interest them most whether that’s the panel discussion, the fancy gala at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, or the mural workshop and student presentations.”

The Arts Matters conference has had a rich blossoming into the event it is today. Tabatha Armstrong captured its history and present, stating, “Arts Matters began in 2015 as a single afternoon event with a few student presentations. Over the years, it has grown to be a multi-day event showcasing the work of 30-50 students, with many different types of events (keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, conversation cafes, fancy galas, and more).” 

Each year, different student teams shape the event, but “creating an accessible event that fosters connection and embraces diversity are always core priorities of the organizing team.” 

Finally, the Arts Matters student organizers gave a few remarks for Arts students and undergraduates about getting their foot into the door of the arts world: 

Dawoon Jung: “If you feel passion [or pride] for a project you are currently working on, do not be afraid to present… please submit it and show your talents off to the UNB community!”

Halimat Shittu: “I would like to tell younger Arts students that there are so many cool and amazing things that they are capable of doing. Arts is not just some “easy” faculty… Arts is full of problem solvers, critical thinkers, creatives, innovators… and that is who they are!”

If you are interested in submitting, the clock is ticking! Arts Matters may accept anything from thesis projects to works in progress, so get out there and share your creativity with the community!

Call for Submissions (Open until February 28^th).

More Info on the Conference (Arts Matters official site). 

Tickets for the Gala Event (Buy now for the event on March 22).