Members of student-run art club Visual Infusion relax on old sofas and musky chairs to the electronic hum coming from the vintage 16mm projector playing the obscure art house films they’ve come to love.

NIU is home to more than its fair share of art clubs, and there are enough for all interests – design, visual communication, multi-media, painting, art history, art education, national, student run and faculty led.

Some clubs are isolated to NIU, such as Ars Nova; supported by NIU and faculty.

Other clubs, like American International Graphic Artists and the National Art Education Association, are national organizations encompassing both students and professionals.

Ars Nova, thought of as the umbrella club, takes in any interested student and is best known for its exhibition once a year. This year’s will be in early spring. It meets once to twice a month in the Art Building’s third floor faculty lounge.

AIGA is designed for visual communication students hoping to break into the professional realm. It serves as a bridge between college and real working life by organizing speakers and large conferences. It meets the first Tuesday of the month and costs $65 to join.

Visual Infusion focuses on multimedia work and regularly shows movies, goes on supposedly education trips to the local arcade and is currently planning a live performance piece open to any art student and music student to contribute. The group meets every Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Art Building, Room 300.

“The clubs’ purposes are to allow students the chance to get together and learn about things that can’t be taught in class,” said Larry Gregory, assistant director of the School of Art. “Students network, meet and bring in professionals, have galleries openings and competitions, all while strengthening ties in NIU.”

Almost all colleges can boast its own art clubs, but NIU is unique in its plentiful variety.

“There are art clubs for anyone. In fact, I know Ars Nova and Visual Infusion don’t require attendees to be an art major at all,” said Kurt Schultz, associate professor in the School of Art. “AIGA however, is more exclusively for visual communication majors driven to be in the field.”

Each club finds its niche easily, and information can be obtained at the main Art Building office.

“We borrowed an original print of ‘Young Frankenstein’ for Halloween,” said Aaron Vermedal, junior time art major and vice-president of Visual Infusion. “It was educational.”

An important function of the assorted art groups is to network.

“Students get to know teachers on a more personal level, students meet other students and exchange art, students get to meet professionals – that’s key,” Schultz said.

There are many lessons and opportunities classrooms simply cannot provide. The clubs provide a setting for passionate artists to come together in a non-stifling environment.

“It’s like: here’s what I do, what you do, what he does and what she does, and here’s what we do together,” Vermedal said.