The annual Women in the Arts festival, sponsored by the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), begins at 7:30 tonight in HUB Heritage Hall.

Emily Armbruster, USG women's affairs director, said she expects about 300 people to attend between tonight and tomorrow.

"We tried to take [former women's affairs director Katelyn Belyus'] vision and expand on it," she said.

Armbruster said tonight's performers are mostly performance artists, including the Whiplash dance team and Savoir Faire, an a cappella singing group. Tomorrow's guests are mostly spoken-word performers, she said.

Tomorrow's performers, including poet Dora McQuaid, are expected to discuss issues including gender inequality, feminism and sexual violence, she said.

"I'm really hoping that it'll be a great way to encourage discourse and discussion about some of the issues our artists are bringing to light," she said.