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
- 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

Jan
19
Film: Selma (2014)
Building a Just World: A Campus and Community Film Series
January 19, 2020
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965. Panelists will include Cameron Lippard, Willie Fleming and Toussaint Romain. Sponsored by the Humanities Council.
Jan
28
Film: Point of No Return (2017)
Sustainability Film Series
January 28, 2020
7:00 pm
“Point of No Return” takes you behind the headlines of the first solar-powered flight around the world—where two courageous pilots take turns battling nature, their own crew, and sometimes logic itself, to achieve the impossible. ... “This very audacious courage – we need this kind of spirit to change this world.” Followed by a panel discussion with members of Team Sunergy.
Feb
1
Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group
The Schaefer Center Presents
February 1, 2020
7:00 pm
Singer/composer/actor Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers.
Feb
26
to
Mar
1
“Five Mile Lake” by Rachel Bonds
Department of Theatre and Dance
Feb 26 - Mar 1, 2020
A fog settles over a small town nestled on the banks of a pristine lake in Western Pennsylvania. As the play begins, the fog lifts over the lives of troubled 20-somethings, scrambling to escape the stifling weight of the past and leave naïve adolescent daydreaming for the hard work of creating lives that are meaningful.

Exhibitions and ongoing events

Sep
27
to
Mar
24
The Schaefer Center Presents
Fall 2019/Spring 2020
The Schaefer Center Presents series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance experience; provides a “window on the world” through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists and showcases some of the finest artists of our region.
Sep
6
to
Feb
1
Metaphorical Reality: Keith Bryant
Sep 6, 2019 - Feb 1, 2020
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Keith Bryant creates work from a place that exists beyond the confines of language yet enhances the realm of understanding riddles in life, connection and independence. Working in wood, metals and ceramics, his forms employ abstraction and metaphor. Bryant’s sculptures address ideas of loneliness, isolation, architecture and landscape.
Jan
24
to
Jun
6
Lian 連 Lian 鏈 – An installation by Hui Chi Lee
Jan 24 - Jun 6, 2020
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
People are by nature social beings. People need other people to survive, and as such they tend to perpetually seek social interactions. However, human relationships are inherently complex and multi-faceted. The ideology of the series, Lián 連 and Liàn 鏈 begins with a pair of Chinese homophones “Lián 連 and Liàn 鏈” that, depending on the context, mean either “to connect” or “to enchain.”
Mar
20
to
22
GuitarFest
Hayes School of Music
March 20 - 22, 2020
The 25th Annual Appalachian GuitarFest and Solo Guitar Competition will feature workshops, masterclasses and concerts including performances by Dale Kavanaugh and Rene Izquierdo.

View more arts and humanities events

News

Appalachian art and visual culture major illustrates the value of on-campus jobs and internship
January 14, 2020
Senior Gabrielle Knight enhances her art and visual culture major with on-campus jobs and an internship at Appalachian’s art galleries.
Lighting up the stage: How Appalachian prepared Cat Tate Starmer ’98 for an award-winning career
December 20, 2019
Hands-on experience in Appalachian’s theaters prepared Cat Tate Starmer ’98 for an award-winning career in lighting design.
Appalachian interior design students’ concept ‘pops up’ at The Container Store
November 15, 2019
The Container Store chose the pop-up shop design of Appalachian interior design majors Jake Still and Grace McCormick, which packages key essentials for college students to organize their living spaces, as the winner of the 2019 PAVE GlobalShop Design Challenge.
App State alumna’s internship at Appalachian Theatre sets the stage for her career
October 8, 2019
A summer internship at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country helped prepare two-time Appalachian graduate Caroline Davis ’16 ’19 for her full-time job at Boone’s Western Youth Network.