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

Jul
6
Ranky Tanky with Ms. Lisa Fischer
An Appalachian Summer
July 6, 2025
7:30 pm
Ranky Tanky (a Gullah phrase for “get funky”), whose jazz-influenced arrangements of traditional Gullah music NPR calls “lively, soulful honey to the ears” joins forces with Grammy winner Lisa Fischer, who the Minneapolis Star Tribune says brings “soul, jazz, rock, gospel, folk, pop, and classical … [and] cuts loose with funk and fierceness and rocks with abandon.”
Jul
9
Tessa Lark (violin), Joshua Roman (cello), and Edgar Meyer (double bass)
An Appalachian Summer
July 9, 2025
7:30 pm
Grammy-nominated violinst Tessa Lark, acclaimed cellist Joshua Roman, and virtuoso bassist Edgar Meyer combine talents for an unparalleled evening of music.
Jul
11
Joan Osborne & Lisa Loeb
An Appalachian Summer
July 11, 2025
7:30 pm
Lisa Loeb and Joan Osborne, two unmistakable voices of the ’90s,team up for a special evening marking the 30th anniversaries of their breakthrough albums — Loeb’s “Tails” and Osborne’s “Relish.” Revisit the songs that shaped a generation, alongside new music and career-spanning fan favorites.
Jul
13
Heather Headley with Western Piedmont Symphony
An Appalachian Summer
July 13, 2025
7:30 pm
Tony and Grammy winner Heather Headley, accompanied by Western Piedmont Symphony and a 12-piece choir, performs a selection of popular tunes from the Broadway and pop songbooks. “Heather Headley is among the top singers with a vocal that absolutely astounds with its intensity… This woman is one of the great entertainers of the day, on record and on stage.” – Billboard Magazine

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
28
to
Jul
26
An Appalachian Summer
Jun 28 - Jul 26, 2025
Presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources, this annual celebration of the performing and visual arts is held every summer in venues across the university campus, and features an eclectic mix of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and film programming.
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.

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.