Freshmen will soon have more opportunities to exercise their creativity thanks to a new initiative by the Freshman Dean’s Office to extend the hours of the Freshman Arts Room.

Located in Holworthy Basement, the space is commonly used for evening workshops and the artistic pursuits of freshmen, but is currently only open on Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to midnight. The new initiative extends those hours to 24/7.

“It’s something that’s been on our minds, as the arts space has become increasingly more utilized with students,” said Torey E. Martin, the FDO’s fellow for First Year Programs. “We wanted to try out a model similar to the music practice rooms.”

To implement the change, the FDO, with the assistance of Yard Operations, installed a new card reader at the entrance of the Arts Room which will allow students to enter 24 hours a day. {shortcode-1d5ec23b8fa804bfb029450432e24db7a7709d0f}

“If inspiration hits them at 2 a.m. and they want to go paint, they certainly can go and do that,” Martin said.

Still, students have not been granted this privilege just yet. To gain swipe access to the room, undergraduates must first contact the Director of Arts Initiatives, Jennette A. Trenchard, about their desire to use it.

“Students will have to email me and let me know their name, their student number, and just let me know that they’re interested in getting access to the room,” Trenchard said. “After that they’ll get an orientation that I’ll set up for them, either with me or the Freshman Arts Board.”

This orientation will cover the basic rules and regulations for using the space, followed with a user participation agreement that the student must sign.

Trenchard said she has worked with the arts board and the FDO to plan various events for this semester, including a Valentine’s Day event and a Mardi Gras celebration.

“We’re very excited about it. I think it’s a great opportunity for students to be able to utilize the space much more freely,” Martin said.

Audrey S. Thorne ’19, a current member of the Freshman Arts Board, said she is looking forward to the coming changes.

“It’s really amazing that we’re finally going to be able to say ‘Anyone who wants to can use art supplies whenever they want,’” Thorne said. “I think that it will definitely become a more lively, fuller space.”

—Staff writer Jamila M. Coleman can be reached at jamila.coleman@thecrimson.com.