Appalachian State University / The Arts and Humanities

Art for Life

The Arts and Humanities at App State

App State 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. App State’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
- 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
17
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
October 17, 2025
Rainbow Kitten Surprise – Thanks for Coming Tour Homecoming Show. With support from Jelani Aryeh.
Oct
19
Disney’s MOANA Live-to-Film Concert
Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
October 19, 2025
6:00 pm
Disney Concerts and AMP Worldwide present Disney’s MOANA Live-To-Film Concert North American tour, featuring a full-length screening of the beloved movie accompanied by live performances of a unique on-stage musical ensemble of top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters and vocalists, celebrating the music and songs from this award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated classic.
Oct
21
2025 Morgan Science Lecture: Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr.
College of Arts and Sciences
October 21, 2025
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
App State’s College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Physics and Astronomy are pleased to host world-renowned physicist Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr. as the 2025 Morgan Science Lecture Series speaker. Dr. Gates' lecture, titled "Adinkras-2-Adynkras," will explore a fascinating intersection of art and mathematics in the pursuit of quantum gravity.
Oct
28
“The Cigarette Surfboard” – Film Screening w/Discussion and Q and A to follow
University Forum Lecture Series
October 28, 2025
5:30 pm
This documentary focuses on creative solutions to environmental issues and climate change, while offering hope and student empowerment through individual action toward global protection. After a young designer realizes that a surfboard – which he crafted from thousands of littered cigarette butts picked up off California beaches – could captivate the eyes of millions across the globe, he decides to use it as the impetus to do something more.

Exhibitions and ongoing events

Jul
3
to
Dec
6
Threading: Contemporary Art of Thailand
Jul 3 - Dec 6, 2025
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
It is a formidable undertaking to chart the immense variety of the artists working in a single country while doing justice to our goal of reflecting their unique cultural experiences through the visual arts. In every country the artists living and working there may not have been born there, and yet they call their adopted cities and countries home. The artists represented in “Threading: Contemporary Art from Thailand,” are primarily based in Bangkok and Saen Suk, Chon Buri, Thailand.
Jun
6
to
Dec
13
Image and Music: John Cohen
Jun 6 - Dec 13, 2025
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is pleased to partner with John Cohen’s extended family and L. Parker Stephenson who represents Cohen’s musical estate, to bring an exhibition of Cohen’s Appalachian photographs to the Appalachian State University campus. The installation will be accompanied by extended programming showcasing films made by and about John Cohen as well as performances of traditional Appalachian music.
Jun
6
to
Nov
1
I Remember: Elizabeth Stone
Jun 6 - Nov 1, 2025
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Photographer Elizabeth Sone thinks deeply about community connections. Sharing in the participatory multi-generational stories of “I Remember” is an opportunity for Turchin Center visitors to connect with extended communities across North Carolina. The negatives and faded 35mm slides that Stone gathers through donations and then weaves into ethereal sculptural forms create a shared vison which is both specific and anonymous.
Nov
17
to
21
International Education Week
Office of International Programs
November 17 - 21, 2025
International Education Week (IEW) at App State is an annual celebration of the global engagement that happens throughout the year through our clubs, courses, and conversations. Students, staff, faculty, and community members are encouraged to participate in programming throughout the week. IEW on the national level is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education and part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

View more arts and humanities events

News

Appalachian Dance Ensemble marks half-century with over 500 original creative works, 5,700 participants
April 4, 2025
Since its inception in 1975, the Appalachian Dance Ensemble at App State has premiered over 500 original works — involving more than 5,700 students, faculty, guest artists and community members. Learn about the ensemble’s history and the people who have shaped it over the years.
App State researchers uncover hidden history at Fort Defiance
June 23, 2025
Ground-penetrating radar and App State interdisciplinary detective work have revealed 105 graves of enslaved people at Fort Defiance, adding new layers of history to the Lenoir-area landmark and confirming generations of family stories.
Jewel Davis appointed chair of 2026 Caldecott Award Selection Committee
August 28, 2024
Jewel Davis, an education librarian and professor in University Libraries at App State, has been appointed to serve as chair of the 2026 Randolph Caldecott Award Selection Committee. The Caldecott Medal, established in 1937 and presented annually by the American Library Association, is one of the oldest and most highly regarded awards for children's book illustration in the United States. As committee chair, Davis will lead 14 distinguished librarians from across the nation in evaluating and selecting the most outstanding picture books published in 2025.
App State Gospel Choir uplifts campus and local community through song
February 26, 2024
For nearly 50 years, the App State Gospel Choir has been uplifting the campus community through song in the Black religious tradition. According to alumni, the choir is a vehicle for cultural expression and a welcoming family that provides a sense of home.