Appalachian State University / The Arts

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
- Humanities Council 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

Jun
17
to
Jul
26
Exercise and Art for Health (EArtH) Summer Camp
Appalachian State University's First Multidisciplinary Play-Based Program
Jun 17 - Jul 26, 2019
Campers will participate in play-based activities, sport and cooking classes designed by Appalachian professors and local experts. Activates will be at the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences and at the Greenway. The camp is for children 8-11 years old.
Jun
29
to
Aug
3
An Appalachian Summer Festival
Jun 29 - Aug 3, 2019
Presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts & Cultural Programs, this annual celebration of the performing and visual arts is held every July in venues across the university campus, and features an eclectic, diverse mix of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and film programming. Celebrating its 35th season in 2019, the festival has risen in stature to become one of the nation’s most highly respected summer festivals, acclaimed for the breadth and quality of its artistic programming.
Jun
29
Ben Folds with the Winston-Salem Symphony
An Appalachian Summer Festival
June 29, 2019
8:00 pm
Pianist, singer-songwriter and North Carolina native Ben Folds opens the 35th anniversary season of An Appalachian Summer Festival with an unforgettable evening of genre-bending music featuring the Winston-Salem Symphony. According to the Vibes Music Blog, “on stage, he is just a wonder to watch, as a pianist, as a lyricist, as a composer, a conductor and as a man.”
Jul
7
North Carolina Black Repertory Company presents “Plenty of Time”
An Appalachian Summer Festival
July 7, 2019
7:00 pm
The celebrated North Carolina Black Repertory Company returns by popular demand this summer with its production of “Plenty of Time,” following the forty-three-year romance between an unlikely pair, a debutant from an elite black family and a working-class young man with dreams of changing the world.

Exhibitions and ongoing events

Jun
17
to
Jul
26
Exercise and Art for Health (EArtH) Summer Camp
Appalachian State University's First Multidisciplinary Play-Based Program
Jun 17 - Jul 26, 2019
Campers will participate in play-based activities, sport and cooking classes designed by Appalachian professors and local experts. Activates will be at the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences and at the Greenway. The camp is for children 8-11 years old.
Jun
7
to
Dec
7
My Place or Yours?
Cara Hagan, Guest Curator
Jun 7 - Dec 7, 2019
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
“My Place, or Yours?” is an exploration into the politics and practice of collaborative work. The artists in this exhibition have all arrived here with the goal of making work together, from a distance. More specifically, the majority of the participants here have embarked on a journey through the philosophy and practice of “Artistic Surrogacy.”
Jun
7
to
Dec
7
Refugee: Bill Brown
Jun 7 - Dec 7, 2019
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
According to the Global Citizen there are an estimated 25.4 million refugees worldwide and that number is growing. Regionally beloved artist and philanthropist, Bill Brown wanted to do something to help relieve this international crisis. The sculptor turned to what he knows best—creating his Refugee Series.
Jun
4
to
27
Summer Dance Series
Department of Theatre and Dance
June 4 - 27, 2019
The Summer Dance Series provides open classes of various dance styles and bodywork for all ages and ability levels. Classes offered in previous years have included ballet, hip hop, Pilates, modern dance, jazz, Gyrokinesis, yoga, African dance, creative dance, hula, salsa, musical theatre dance, capoeira, folk dance and more.

View more arts and cultural events

News

App Builds a Home — App State’s IDEXlab designs zero energy ready home
June 11, 2019
The IDEXlab’s design for an innovative, zero energy ready Habitat for Humanity home was recognized as a finalist in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2019 Solar Decathlon Challenge.
Intertwining triple majors open the door to a doctorate for Appalachian graduating senior
May 6, 2019
A childhood passion for Pokémon led this graduating senior’s path toward Asian studies and comparative literature.
First-Hand Look at Next-Gen Talent
PAVE Student Design Challenge winners to be showcased at booth
May 6, 2019
This year’s Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE) booth will give RetailX attendees fresh insight into the future talent of our industry. Students from University of Minnesota, Bellevue College, Appalachian State University, and the Fashion Institute of Technology will be partnering with suppliers such as Stylmark, S-Cube, Grand + Benedicts, and Trimco LLC to bring their designs to life.
Appalachian alumna uses earth-friendly designs for Dr. Scholl’s shoes
April 26, 2019
Andee Burton ’12 uses hands-on experience for inspiration in developing earth-friendly shoes.