Performance Artist and Professor Holly Hughes to Appear at WC

Chestertown, April 14—Holly Hughes, whose National Endowment for the Arts grant was denied because of the content of her work, will perform selections from her work at 7 p.m., Friday, April 21 in the Tawes Theatre on the campus of Washington College. Admission is free.

Critics consistently praise Hughes's work. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner writes, "She's phenomenal. When you encounter a mind like Holly Hughes, it wakes you up." The Chicago Tribune calls Hughes "One of the most insightful, funny and entertaining storytellers around."

The Raleigh-Durham Spectator called Hughes "part pundit, part comedian, and part exhibitionist. A gifted comedian, she has a fresh and very funny point of view, and her wry observations on contemporary society appeal to a wider audience than she might imagine."

Hughes is an Obie-winning writer, performer and teacher and is considered a central figure in America's culture wars.In 1990 Hughes became what some have called "a notorious poster girl of the free speech movement" when she and three other artists were denied funding by the National Endowment for the Arts. After recommending Hughes for a grant, the NEA reversed its decision on the grounds that Hughes's work was too "controversial." The artists sued and settled successfully out of court.

Hughes's performance is sponsored by the Drama Department of Washington College and the Robert Julian Emory Memorial Fund.