The Arts on Campus
The University promotes a range of events in the visual and performing arts extending well beyond the academic year. More than twenty groups regularly present performing arts events, and six galleries host an array of exhibitions, including end-of-semester thesis shows for bachelor and master of fine arts candidates. Academic programs also encompass the arts: Art (including studio arts and art history), Interdepartmental Film Studies, Music and Dance, English (including an M.F.A. program), and Theater. These departments and programs sponsor events ranging from poetry readings and drama to recitals and film festivals. Fifty student groups also present arts programming ranging from musical theater to celebrations of world culture.
Since 1983, the University has also commissioned a number of temporary and permanent public art sites, five of which are still installed: Hampden Court Sculpture Garden, the William Smith Clark Memorial Site, the Helen Curtis Cole Commemorative Garden, the Civility Mural and Fountain, and the Bartlett Hall Courtyard. Most sites integrate plant and other landscape materials to offer pleasant environments for relaxation and conversation between classes.
Fine Arts Center
The Fine Arts Center, opened in 1975, houses two concert halls, two theaters, and four art galleries. Offering venues for a wide range of national and international artists, it also provides extensive opportunities for students to gain experience in the visual and performing arts, as artists, technical supporters, and patrons.
The performance season showcases comprehensive offerings. Dance, theater, Broadway, classical music, popular, and jazz events feature artists from around the world. Visual arts exhibitions in all media feature international contemporary artists, as well as regional and emerging artists. A permanent collection of 2,500 20th-century American works serves as a resource for research and exhibition. The Fine Arts Center also houses the only multicultural gallery of its kind in the region.
