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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.

  • Appalachian Studies

    Appalachian Studies

  • Department of Applied Design

    Department of Applied Design

  • Department of Art

    Department of Art

  • Hayes School of Music

    Hayes School of Music

  • Department of Theatre and Dance

    Department of Theatre and Dance

  • Department of English

    Department of English

  • Department of History

    Department of History

  • Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

    Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

  • Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

    Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

  • Department of Philosophy and Religion

    Department of Philosophy and Religion

Venues, programs and publications

  • Art Galleries and Special Collections

    • Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
    • Smith Gallery
    • Looking Glass Gallery
    • Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition
    • Belk Library Special Collections
    • Nicholas Erneston Music Library
    • Specialized Librarians
  • Cultural Centers and Programs

    • Center for Appalachian Studies
    • Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies
    • Craft Enrichment Program
    • Watauga Residential College
  • Music and Stage

    • An Appalachian Summer Festival
    • Appalachian Popular Programming Society (APPS)
    • Department of Theatre and Dance performances
    • Hayes School of Music Performances
    • The Schaefer Center Presents
    • Apparel Design and Merchandising Showcase
    • Robert F Gilley Recording Studio
  • 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

    • APPlause! K-12 Performing Arts Series
    • Canon Music Camp
    • Community Music School
    • Department of Theatre and Dance’s Theatre in our Schools
    • Department of Theatre and Dance’s Cre8tive Drama Day Camp
    • STARTALK program
    • Turchin Center Arts Education & Outreach
    • Appalachian Young People's Theatre
  • Publications and Partnerships

    • The Peel
    • The Appalachian
    • Cold Mountain Review
    • Appalachian Journal
    • Digital Humanities
    • History Matters
    • Documentary Film Services
    • Split Rail Records
    • Climate Stories Collaborative

Upcoming events

  • Professional Development Opportunity: Teaching Climate Change Through Picturebooks
    Jun
    28
    to
    30
    Professional Development Opportunity: Teaching Climate Change Through Picturebooks

    Mathematics and Science Education Center

    June 28 - 30, 2022
    8:30 am - 3:00 pm

    Join the Mathematics and Science Education Center this summer as they explore how to teach about climate change using picture books and exploratory learning. Partnering with faculty across campus to explore key issues such as flooding, bee habitats, and preserving plants, teachers will explore how to teach their fourth through sixth graders about the complexities of climate change and how it impacts their lives and communities.

  • An Appalachian Summer Festival
    Jul
    1
    to
    30
    An Appalachian Summer Festival
    July 1 - 30, 2022

    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.

  • 2022 Graphic Communications Education Association Summer Conference
    Jul
    24
    to
    28
    2022 Graphic Communications Education Association Summer Conference
    July 24 - 28, 2022

    Enjoy the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains by attending the 97th GCEA Conference on the campus of Appalachian State University. The Thomas W. Reese Graphic Communications Management Program is the host for this year’s Graphic Communications Education Association Summer Conference. If you have a passion for graphic communications education in any capacity this conference is for you!

  • Center Marks 20th Summer Symposium with Re-Evaluation of the Threats of Antisemitism by Renowned Holocaust Scholar Michael Berenbaum
    Jul
    24
    Center Marks 20th Summer Symposium with Re-Evaluation of the Threats of Antisemitism by Renowned Holocaust Scholar Michael Berenbaum

    Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies

    July 24, 2022
    7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    Prof. Michael Berenbaum, the director of the Sigi Ziering Institute and professor of Jewish Studies at American Jewish University, will examine “Anti-Judaism and Anti-Semitism in European History and Visual Culture” in an on-campus lecture that is open to the public. This program is part of this year's 20th Anniversary Martin and Doris Rosen Summer Symposium on “Remembering the Holocaust.”

Exhibitions and ongoing events

  • Art Department Faculty Biennial
    Jun
    3
    to
    Nov
    5
    Art Department Faculty Biennial
    Jun 3 - Nov 5, 2022
    Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

    The Art Department Faculty Biennial Exhibition is a collaborative exhibition organized by the Smith Gallery and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. These non-juried exhibitions provide the campus and surrounding communities with an opportunity to engage with the ideas and practices being explored by the talented multidisciplinary visual arts educators at Appalachian State University.

  • 36th Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition
    May
    23
    to
    May
    14
    36th Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition
    May 23, 2022 - May 14, 2023
    Various campus locations

    The Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition is a national juried competition presented annually by An Appalachian Summer Festival and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Since its establishment by Martin and Doris Rosen in 1987, the Rosen Competition continues a tradition of showcasing contemporary American sculpture in outdoor settings across the beautiful campus of Appalachian State University.

  • Celestial: Dare Coulter
    Mar
    4
    to
    Aug
    27
    Celestial: Dare Coulter
    Mar 4 - Aug 27, 2022
    Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

    With the universe as the source of inspiration, the Celestial exhibit is a series of figurative and abstract multimedia works that explore the metaphor of creation. The themes of space, stars and astrology will be cosmically swirled into an exhibit. During a three-week residency Coulter will work with select Appalachian State students to complete the site-specific installation in the Mayer Gallery.

  • An Appalachian Summer Festival
    Jul
    1
    to
    30
    An Appalachian Summer Festival
    July 1 - 30, 2022

    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.

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
    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
    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
    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!
    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.

View more arts and humanities news

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