Baltimore - A celebration of "The Creative Act" will bring together nationally and locally known speakers, including the founder of the American Visionary Arts Museum and the executive director of the Poetry Center & American Poetry Archives in San Francisco, to celebrate creative expression. The symposium includes two roundtable discussions centered on how artists approach the creation of art from both individual and collaborative perspectives. Roundtables begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, April 10 in the University Center Ballroom. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; this event is free and open to the public.

Roundtable I: 9 a.m.
Moderated by Miriam Decosta-Willis, UMBC Professor of Africana Studies. A writer as well as a teacher, Decosta-Willis' newest book on the Cuban poet Nancy Morejon will be published in May. *

Jewelle Gomez, executive director of the Poetry Center & American Poetry Archives at San Francisco State University . Gomez, a novelist, poet and literary critic won two Lambda Literary Awards for fiction and science fiction for her novel The Gilda Stories. She speaks throughout the country on lesbian feminism, African-American women in literature, and African-Americans and the media. *

Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer. A celebrated and sought-after lighting designer, Tipton has more than two decades of interdisciplinary experience working with dance, drama, opera and visionary creations. She has received two Tonys and two Bessies, and has designed for the New York City Ballet, the New York Shakespeare Festival and numerous artists. *

Wendy Salkind, UMBC associate professor and chair of theatre. Salkind is lead actress with UMBC's resident professional theatre company, The Maryland Stage Company. She recently performed with the Company at the International Beckett Festival in Strasbourg, France and with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra in Shakespeare & Sitwall. *

Elizabeth Walton, UMBC associate professor of dance. Walton was the chairperson of UMBC's dance Department from 1972 to 1997. She was a leading dancer for seven years with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, performing on stage and television in the United States, Europe, and South America. She has been a guest teacher throughout the United States, England and Germany.

Roundtable II: 1 p.m.
Moderated by Kathy O'Dell, UMBC assistant professor of visual arts. O'Dell recently curated the first retrospective of work by sculptor/writer Kate Millett in UMBC's Fine Arts Gallery. Her book, Contract with the Skin: Masochism, Performance Art, and the 1970s will be published in May.

Rebecca Hoffberger, president and founder, American Visionary Arts Museum * . Hoffberger's Baltimore museum is the only venue in the United States dedicated to the work of visionary artists. She says, "AVAM opened its doors of perception to create a place where the best of self-taught, intuitive contributions of all kinds will be duly recognized, explored and then championed in a clear, strong voice." *

Petah Coyne, installation artist. Coyne has received numerous fellowships and awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a NEA Sculpture Fellowship for her sculptural installations. Her work is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts and others. *

Renee Stout, installation artist. Stout focuses on traditional African ritual objects which she recreates with small textured charms, feathers, nails and other objects. Her work has been featured at the National Museum of American Art, the National Museum of African Art and the Museum for African Art. *

Stanley Cowell, composer/pianist. An acclaimed composer and musician, Cowell has performed with such jazz luminaries as Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Sonny Rollins. He performs with orchestras nationwide and has recorded extensively.