STANDISH – On the heels of the fall series of SPArC (Speakers, Performers, Artists and Culture) lectures at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, the College has recently announced the spring 2013 schedule. The new lineup expands the focus of SPArC to include the five senses, with a dynamic group of speakers: multimedia artist Jeff Badger, singer-songwriter Samuel James and brewmaster Ben Alexander.

All SPArC lectures are free and take place in room 224 in Harold Alfond Hall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; events begin at 6 p.m. Hosted by Saint Joseph’s Art Department, SPArC stimulates artistic discourse in the Lakes Region by creating an interdisciplinary platform that brings creative professionals to campus to share their work and lead discussions.

The spring series kicks off Jan. 30 with Jeff Badger, a multimedia artist based in South Portland. He has exhibited his drawings, paintings, sculpture and installation work nationally in solo and group exhibitions, and he records and performs original music in a variety of collaborative projects.

Badger holds a Bachelor of Science in studio art and English from Skidmore College and a master of fine arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. He has served as an instructor and studio advisor for graduate programs at Maine College of Art and Massachusetts College of Art & Design, and is on the faculty of Southern Maine Community College where he serves as Department Chair of Fine Arts. Visit his website at jeffbadger.com.

On Feb. 13, Samuel James, a blues performer and guitarist from Portland, appears. His style has been described as a cross between Bill Withers, James Brown and P. T. Barnum. He has performed from Maine to California, and has played shows across the globe, including in England, Germany, France, Norway, Belgium, Poland and Turkey. James was the winner of Portland Phoenix’s 2012 Best Music Poll in the R&B/Soul/Blues Act category. For more about James, visit therealsamueljames.com.

On March 13, Ben Alexander, owner of Maine Mead Works, discusses the history of the “world’s oldest alcoholic beverage,” his journey into entrepreneurship and the chemistry behind Maine-made mead. In 2012, Maine Mead Works won the gold medal in the Traditional Dry Mead category at the Mazer Cup International Mead Competition. Read more about Alexander’s work and products at mainemeadworks.com.