Appalachian State University / The Arts and Humanities

Art for Life

The Arts and Humanities at Appalachian

Appalachian presents vibrant arts and humanities programs that enrich the cultural and intellectual climate of the campus and region. Join us for an event, performance, exhibition or workshop — you can find one almost every day of the year, for nearly every age level and interest.

By the numbers

600+

arts and humanities events on campus annually
6

free student workshops each week at the Turchin Center
10

departments offer degree tracks in arts or humanities
14

exhibition and performance venues on campus
9,000+

children in grades K-12 attend free and low-cost school matinees each year
20+

countries recently featured in arts and humanities programming, including Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Brazil, Cuba, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, Chile, Spain, Russia, Poland, South Africa and France
80

students are employed annually within the arts and humanities
30+

Arts and Education Outreach Programs connect university arts resources to a diverse audience of community arts patrons, teachers and learners

The arts and humanities offer innovative ways to learn about the world. Appalachian’s academic programs are varied and diverse, and students have many opportunities to experience, interpret, understand, record and shape culture.

Venues, programs and publications

Art Galleries and Special Collections
Cultural Centers and Programs
Music and Stage
Lecture Series
- The Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series
- Turchin Center Art Talks and Lunch & Learn
- Martin & Doris Rosen Summer Symposium
- Civil War Speaker Series
- DLLC Annual International Speaker Series
- Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies Lecture Series
Community Connections
Publications and Partnerships

Upcoming events

Oct
5
to
9
The Trolleys
Department of Theatre and Dance
October 5 - 9, 2022
In a world inhabited only by children, “The Trolleys” are a gang of six living just outside the city. They need their light jars to survive — but the lights have started fading and no one knows why. Savage Kim and her gang head towards the city and the unknown, following a mysterious song. Will they find more light before their jars go out and they become Dusters? Commissioned in 2015 by the Australian Theatre for Young People, The Trolleys asks the question: “What happens if you inherit a world that isn’t safe?” Written by Sara West.
Oct
6
STAR DUST: from Bach to David Bowie
The Schaefer Center Presents
October 6, 2022
7:00 pm
Complexions Contemporary Ballet founders Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, armed with a rich Alvin Ailey lineage and a cadre of 18 spectacular dancers, have re-envisioned ballet through technical precision, athletic prowess, and sheer passion. Their blockbuster hit, “STAR DUST: From Bach to David Bowie,” honoring two musical icons, has rocked the dance world and will make your spirits soar.
Oct
7
October First Friday at the Turchin!
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
October 7, 2022
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Join us on the first Friday of every month as the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) is open late as part of the Downtown Boone Art Crawl. Residents, visitors and the Appalachian State University community are invited to TCVA to experience the exhibitions featured in its six galleries. There will be a curator-led tour of “Multitudes: Bart Vargas” as part of Climate Justice Month.
Oct
24
Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed
University Forum Lecture Series
October 24, 2022
7:00 pm
Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize for History and MacArthur Genius, is one of the integral voices who helped Juneteenth officially enter our national conversation. Her book about this profound day, “On Juneteenth,” is a powerful, essential work of history that weaves together America’s past with personal memoir; it was named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post, TIME, and NPR.

Exhibitions and ongoing events

Sep
6
to
Mar
1
Féroce et Formidable: A Francophone Film Festival
Belk Library and Information Commons and Department of English
Sep 6, 2022 - Mar 1, 2023
Appalachian State University’s Belk Library and Information Commons and the Department of English, with support from the Albertine Cinémathèque Festival Grant, is hosting “Féroce et Formidable: A Francophone Film Festival” throughout the 2022-2023 school year.
Jul
1
to
Dec
10
Multitudes: Bart Vargas
Jul 1 - Dec 10, 2022
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
“Multitudes” is a celebration of Bart Vargas’ use of materials, form, pattern, and color through sculpture and painting. This twenty-year retrospective of Vargas’ work consists of objects and images built from salvaged materials. Many of these award-winning works have been exhibited across the nation and world, graced book covers and publications, but have not previously been exhibited in North Carolina.
Nov
4
to
May
6
Transformations: App DigiFab
Nov 4, 2022 - May 6, 2023
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Digital design and fabrication technologies have radically transformed the way artists and designers conceive and produce work. This exhibition explores how digital tools for design and fabrication are being utilized and taught by contemporary artists, designers, and architects, and how those tools influence the work being produced in various fields. A group of faculty and staff from Appalachian State University have come together to exhibit their new work using these digital tools in unique ways.
Dec
2
to
May
6
Altered Environments / Tidalectics: April Flanders, Guest Curator
Dec 2, 2022 - May 6, 2023
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
“Altered Environments,” curated by April Flanders, is a printmaking portfolio responding to the issue of marine bio invasions. The portfolio includes 23 national and international artists from diverse backgrounds, utilizing a wide range of styles and print techniques. Aquatic invasive species are a true threat to biodiversity around the world. Artists were encouraged to consider the many ecosystems that are currently under threat from marine bioinvaders.

View more arts and humanities events

News

Cut from a different cloth: App State alumnus Mitch Purgason ’15 stitches his way to fashion’s forefront
February 14, 2022
Mountaineer alumnus Mitch Purgason ’15 stitches his way to award-winning success, designing custom clothing for professional athletes, executives and fashion influencers.
Pandemic experiences inspired Jeffrey Dean Foster’s latest album
September 24, 2021
Musician Jeffrey Dean Foster ’82, who formed his first band while a student at Appalachian State University, has released an album inspired by the pandemic.
App State and Cone Estate connection spans 100-plus years, yields academic and engagement opportunities
August 6, 2021
App State’s location in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina opens avenues of academic and civic engagement particular to the area. The university’s partnership with the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock — spanning more than a century — is a good example.
App State students design and produce award-winning wine labels — cheers!
July 26, 2021
A new family of wines developed by App State students and faculty has an award-winning look, with labels designed and printed by students in the graphic communications management program. The labels won second place in the 2021 Phoenix Challenge — a college competition between graphic communications students across North America.