Arts and Culture

Former Ohio Gov. Richard F. Celeste visited Kent State Tuesday for a signing featuring his new book, "In the Heart of It All, An Unvarnished Account of My Life in Public Service," in which, among other topics, he encourages young people to think about public service.  According to Celeste, if young people build a constituency for c...

Global. Sophisticated. Highly respected. Those words describe Omar Salam, founder and creative director of the global fashion house Sukeina. The fashion designer will make a special trip from the runway to Kent State University’s Rockwell Hall as Salam has been named the 2023 inductee of the university’s School of Fashion Hall of Fame. ...

Scott MacPherson, DMA, conductor and director of choral studies, led the Kent State University Orchestra in rehearsals this week for what he called a “huge” concert this Sunday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m. with the Kent Chorus and Chorale.  Performing works for both full symphony orchestra and strings, the Kent State University Orchest...

The dynamic "Tower of Squares" sculpture by Owen Morrel was installed outside the newly completed Design Innovation Hub in 2021. ...

The “Pride in Kent'' exhibition, at the FJKluth Art Gallery, displays 26 pieces of art created by 11 different LGBTQ+ members and allies. The exhibition will be on display during Main Street Kent’s Rainbow Weekend, Oct. 7 and 8. The gallery was asked by Main Street Kent to create an exhibition in celebration of LGBTQ+ pride. John Aylward,...

Kent, Ohio — Four members of the Kent Wind Ensemble, led by Wendy K. Matthews, Ph.D., will be part of the 2022 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Intercollegiate Band for the North Central Division Conference. They’ll rehearse and perform as part of the ensemble during the three-day conference running April 7-9 held a...

Visual arts teacher Stephen Tornero and choir director Mary Meese and are among the finalists for the 2022 Stark County Art and Music Educator Awards. Both are alumni of Kent State’s College of the Arts. Presented jointly by the Canton Symphony, the Massillon Museum, and the Canton Museum of Art, the awards recognize public, private, an...

Kent, Ohio — The Kent Keyboard Series continues its 2021-2022 season presenting Min Kwon’s America/Beautiful project, a collaboration with 75 American composers to write variations on “America The Beautiful,” performed by Kwon. A selection of the variations will be presented in Kent State’s Ludwig Recital Hall on March 20 at 7:30 p.m. This...

Leslie Srodek-Johnson, ’01, a Kent State University journalism graduate, mother of two and lead decorator and baker at Stan’s Northfield Bakery, received the call of a lifetime in December 2018. It was from the Food Network asking her to be a part of the “Christmas Cookie Challenge.” “My Mom answered the phone, and I heard her say ‘Yeah, ...

Molly Merryman, Ph.D., the founding director of Kent State University's Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality and associate professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences, was featured in a USA TODAY opinion piece which outlined black transgender women’s contributions to the LGBTQ movement. The article focused on h...