Arts MSU

A group of students sit in rows of chairs, turned toward the camera and smiling during a rehearsal presentation.

MSU Department of Theatre Confronts Anger and Fear with ‘Othello’ Production

October 22, 2025

The Michigan State University Department of Theatre presents the William Shakespeare tragedy “Othello” Nov. 7-16, 2025, at the Pasant Theatre in the Wharton Center for Performing Arts. Directed by Ji Won Jeon, Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre, this production asks what happens when fear takes control, not just in one man’s life, but in a divided society.

A close-up view of a large mural on a brick wall showing an outlined portrait of an older man wearing glasses, set against a vivid red and yellow background. Green trees and a blue river are painted on the left side.

Alumni / Arts MSU / English / Michigan Impact / News

College of Arts & Letters Alum Helps Bring Vibrant Public Art to Northern Michigan Community

October 21, 2025

The future looks bright for a century-old building in downtown Cadillac — literally — thanks to the work of one Michigan State University College of Arts & Letters alum and a partnership between MSU Extension and the city of Cadillac. In summer 2025, the side of the Cadillac Printing Company building was painted with vibrant hues of red, orange, yellow,…

Four actors in matching flight attendant costumes perform on stage. They wear white button-down shirts, navy skirts, blue caps with gold emblems, and red-and-blue scarves. One actor holds an open green book.

Arts MSU / News / Performance / Production / Student / Student / Theatre

Free Tickets Offered to MSU Students for Department of Theatre Productions

October 16, 2025

Michigan State University students can receive free tickets to the remaining MSU Department of Theatre productions in the 2025-2026 season, "Secrets & Spotlights." To receive a free ticket, students need to show their MSU student ID at the Wharton Center Ticket Office in the days prior to the show or at the ticket booth where the production is being held just prior to the show. One free ticket will be given per student per production.

Two students stand side by side on a city street. One wears a dark green Michigan State jersey, and the other wears a white shirt with a green MSU jacket draped over his shoulder. Both smile at the camera.

AAHD / Apparel and Textile Design / Arts MSU / News / Student / Study Away

Apparel and Textile Design Students Awarded Trip to New York Fashion Week

September 23, 2025

Michigan State University Apparel and Textile Design (ATD) students Fernando Caccia and Evelyn Short attended New York Fashion Week, one of the most prestigious fashion events in the world, as winners of the MSU Trademarks and Licensing ATD BFA Fashion Week Award. Their trip included entry into select runway shows as well as panel discussions and networking opportunities with industry leaders.

A composite portrait of four students in a brightly lit dressing room with mirrors in the background. From left to right: a student in a dark green Michigan State t-shirt layered over a white corset-style costume piece, smiling; a student in an orange collared shirt with glasses and a short beard; a student in a light blue fitted top with silver jewelry and a white skirt, smiling; and a student in glasses, a white t-shirt, and a light denim button-down shirt.

Arts MSU / News / Student / Theatre / Visual Arts, Arts Administration, and Performing Arts

Department of Theatre Performing Two Plays — ‘The Seagull’ and ‘Stupid F**king Bird’ — Offering One Repertory Experience

September 19, 2025

Michigan State University's Department of Theatre continues its 2025-2026 Season, Secrets & Spotlights, with two plays performed in repertory that span more than a century of theatrical storytelling. Anton Chekhov's “The Seagull,” first performed in 1896, and Aaron Posner's “Stupid F**king Bird,” a bold reimagining of Chekhov's classic, will run Oct. 4-12, 2025, in the MSU Auditorium’s Arena Theatre.

A group of young children and adults sit in a circle on the floor, joyfully tossing colorful scarves into the air.

AAHD / Arts MSU / Faculty / Faculty / News / Student

MSU Making a Mark When It Comes to Investing in the Arts as Essential to K-12 Education

September 16, 2025

Walk into a classroom infused with music, movement, and visual storytelling, and you’ll find something remarkable: students leaning in, asking questions, connecting ideas — and most importantly, lighting up with curiosity. It’s a vivid contrast to a growing concern in K-12 education across the country. According to a 2023 Gradient Learning report, 80% of teachers are concerned about their students’…

Children sit on both sides of a long table, contributing to a shared painting. The paper canvas is filled with colorful shapes, swirls, and rainbows. An instructor oversees the activity.

AAHD / Arts MSU / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News / Programs / Student / Student

MSU’s SmART Program Expands Community Art Access While Giving Art Education Majors Teaching Experience

September 15, 2025

As most experienced teachers well know, lesson plans don’t always go according to plan. Thinking on your feet and taking advantage of unforeseen “teachable moments” can often lead to the biggest lessons of the day. However, this is not something that can be easily taught in a classroom and is much better learned through real-world experiences, like what Michigan State University’s Saturday Morning Art (SmART) program provides.

A small group of students gathers around a large easel with a charcoal drawing of trees and abstract shapes, with another student on the side of the frame.

Arts MSU / Event / News

Drawing Marathon Returns to Summer Circle Theatre Courtyard Sept. 23

September 12, 2025

The annual Drawing Marathon, hosted by MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design, returns this year to the Summer Circle Theatre Courtyard, located in front of the Kresge Art Center, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the event of rain, the Drawing Marathon will move inside the Kresge Art Center. The public is invited to this non-stop, eight-hour drawing event.

Arts MSU / Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Film Screening / French / Michigan Impact / News / U.S. Impact

Documentary by French Professor Earning Recognition at Film Festivals Worldwide

September 11, 2025

"Chœurs Atlantiques | Tales from the Atlantic Beyond," a documentary produced and directed by Safoi Babana-Hampton, Professor of French and Francophone Studies in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies at Michigan State University, is reaching audiences worldwide through an expanding series of film festival screenings, including a screening in Michigan on Friday, Sept. 12, and at one of the…

Black-and-white composite image featuring 15 individual portraits arranged in three rows of five. The individuals vary in gender presentation, hairstyles, and expressions.

AAHD / Arts MSU / Event / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Lecture Series / News

Stanley & Selma Hollander Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series to Bring Distinguished Guests to MSU in 2025-2026

September 8, 2025

Through its annual Selma & Stanley Hollander Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series, the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University hosts several internationally recognized leaders in the fields of art and design, who each offer inspiring talks that explore how visual representation in all its complex forms exists as a mode of inquiry. The 2025-2026 Selma & Stanley Hollander Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series will bring 15 distinguished guests to campus.