Three faculty members will get to further their creative pursuits -- studying textiles in Greece, writing a musical about female composers and composing an opera -- thanks to UNT's Institute for the Advancement of the Arts fellowship. The 2017-18 faculty fellows will get a semester off and a stipend to work on their projects.

Amie Adelman (left), associate professor and coordinator of the fibers program, will attend the Lakkos Artist Residency in Greece to continue her exploration of textiles around the world. She chose Greece to immerse herself in the country's historical textiles traditions such as basketry, embroidery and weaving. When Adelman returns, she will work on a permanent installation for the entryway of the Greater Denton Arts Council's building.

"This fellowship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to focus on research that will lead to a new body of artwork," Adelman says.

Marjorie Hayes (right), associate professor of acting-directing, will use her fellowship to develop Songstress, a musical about female composers who have written for Broadway. Hayes will spend her fellowship in New York City rehearsing the project for a run at the Metropolitan Room Theatre in November.

"I wanted to show how exceptional these women's music is and how it's not received the attention that these composers deserve," Hayes says.

Andrew May (middle), associate professor of composition, will use his time to work on a digitally mediated chamber opera inspired by the novel 62: A Model Kit by Julio Cortázar. The piece will incorporate four voices, a sextet and a live interactive computer system that can conjure places, characters and sound worlds on command. He hopes to present the opera in spring 2019 on campus. The idea has been in his head for years.

"I'm delighted to discover new questions I can't yet answer," May says.