Community Enriching Arts Programs

Creating Leaders Who Inspire, Entertain and Educate

Through these programs, Kent State pairs the enthusiasm and passion of undergraduate and graduate level students with the technical skill and expertise of working professionals. These powerful collaborations benefit not only the students engaged in them, but also the community members who experience the result of their creative endeavors, from concerts to plays to gallery exhibitions and everything in between.

• The Kent State University Museum holds one of the world’s most important collections of fashion, costumes, textiles and decorative arts. With more than 10,000 annual visitors, the museum offers year-round exhibitions and programming for the community and serves as an educational resource for students as well as domestic and international scholars.
• Porthouse Theatre is Kent State’s summer professional theatre and entertains more than 20,000 visitors every year in its unique 500-seat outdoor setting. A highly regarded educational program, Porthouse provides opportunities for student artists to work and learn alongside professionals in all aspects of the theatrical arts from performance to management and everything in between. 
• Kent Blossom Music Festival is one of the top summer training institutes in the United States for student musicians., A partnership with The Cleveland Orchestra, the festival presents performances featuring renowned guest artists and faculty as well as students each year.
• Kent Blossom Art Intensives offer immersive two-week workshops where students and community members learn directly from Kent State faculty and renowned visual artists from across the country. In a creative, supportive environment, participants explore diverse art forms while faculty and visiting artists share their work through exhibitions and public talks, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the visual arts.

The arts at Kent State University represent the best of what a university and its community can achieve together – whether it is a living classroom, a regional stage or a cultural gathering place.

Programs like the Kent State University Museum, Porthouse Theatre, Kent Blossom Music Festival directly impact students and the community, but are not supported directly by tuition dollars. As budget realities shift, universities are often forced to prioritize core academic operations and limit or cease programming that extends beyond student coursework. Your philanthropic support ensures the performing, visual and design arts continue to thrive and grow in our region. Unrestricted private and corporate funding defrays annual operating costs, supports high-quality performances and exhibitions, enables the hiring of top-tier guest artists, covers fees for student participants and safeguards and improves facilities.