Fifty years ago, a big bang of sound and ambition echoed across South Plains College. What began as Dean Tubb’s bold idea for a country music and bluegrass program has evolved into a legacy of innovation, artistry, and a network that spans generations.
This week, South Plains College is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Creative Arts Department with a four-day festival of music, memories, and reconnection on the Levelland campus.
“When I started reaching out to people, everyone I talked to said the same thing — that place changed my life,” said Matt Quick, event coordinator for the anniversary celebration. “Fifty years of people is a lot of people. I started calling immediately, asking for help, and the response has been overwhelming.”
The story of Creative Arts at SPC begins in the early 1970s, when Dean Tubb stood in registration lines recruiting students.
“Nathan Tubb, way back when, this would have been in the 1973–74 time period,” Quick said. “He was literally hanging out in the registration lines saying, ‘Hey, you guys want to be in choir? You want to join the band?’ And one person said, ‘I want to play the banjo.’ That’s where it started.”
By 1975, John Hartin was hired to build the country-music and bluegrass program, helping lay the foundation for what would become one of SPC’s most renowned departments. Over the decades, the Creative Arts program has expanded to include recording technology, live sound, video production, songwriting, and more, all anchored by a spirit of collaboration and creativity.
Today, that same creative energy is being celebrated through a weekend that brings alumni and current students together to make music and share stories.
“I love the idea of current students and alumni intermingling, maybe even trying to make music together,” Quick said. “It could be really special for both sets of people. I think folks are going to come back for many years, walk around, and feel how special this place was to them.”
The department’s influence stretches far beyond campus. Alumni have gone on to become award-winning artists, producers, songwriters, and audio engineers across the country.
“There are songwriters, artists, producers, audio engineers in recording and live sound, and video folks — just across all the disciplines that make up the Creative Arts,” Quick said. “That network of alumni is one of our biggest assets. We have a really rich heritage of folks who’ve gone off and been very successful.”
Workshops will be held throughout the day Thursday, Oct. 30, and Friday, Oct. 31, with evening concerts both nights and a full day of music on Saturday, Nov. 1.
The complete event schedule is available at creativearts50.com
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