The Center for the Arts, completed in 1973, provides office,
classroom, and studio facilities for the departments of Art,
Dance, Music, and Theater; performance and exhibition spaces
including Crowell Concert Hall, World Music Hall, Cinema, Theater,
Davison Art Center, Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery; and an archival
study center, the Wesleyan Cinema archives.
Although the four arts departments offer individual curricular
programs serving a broad spectrum of undergraduate and graduate
students, the Center for the Arts sponsors occassional courses
of an interdisciplinary nature. Such courses, as well as special
lectures, performances, and exhibitions, reflect a broad commitment
within the Center to interaction among the arts.
If you would like to receive our published calendars, please
contact the box office (860.685.3355) to have your name added
to our mailing list.
Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts, housed in an eleven-building
complex designed by Kevin Roche/John Dinkeloo Architects, opened
in 1973. By juxtaposing several highly flexible buildings, the
architecture preserves the individual integrity of each of the
arts while at the same time encouraging creative interaction
between them. Undergraduate programs are offered in Studio Art,
Art History, Dance, Film Production and History, Music and Theater,
with a graduate program in Ethnomusicology. In addition to offices,
studios and classrooms, the Center features several handsome
performance and exhibition spaces into which the general public
is regularly invited: Crowell Concert Hall (414 seats), World
Music Hall (flexible seating, from 175-250), Cinema (260 seats),
Theater (400 seats, 550 with thrust), Davison Art Center (2
galleries) and the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery (3 galleries).
The Wesleyan Cinema Archives, located adjacent to the CFA, provides
a home for the University's growing collection related to motion
picture and television history.
The primary mission of the Center for the Arts is to serve
the curricular needs of 2,899 men and women (2,725 full-time,
10 part-time undergraduates; 164 graduates) who seek the highest
quality of experience in liberal learning. A significant part
of this function is discharged through producing a vigorous
program of performances and exhibitions, both imported and local,
throughout the year. All such programs, whether a part of the
curricular offering in the arts or as a supplement to them,
are open to the public and maintain an artistic excellence commensurate
with the high quality of the institution. The Center is sensitive
to its presence in the community and continually works to expand
its audiences and to promote the excellence and diversity of
the performing arts. Discounted rates are offered for students
and senior citizens; most facilities are accessible for the
handicapped. (The University's planning office continues to
work to provide equal access in all spaces for disabled citizens.)
During the 1996-97 academic year the Center scheduled approximately
475 concerts, recitals, lectures, films, exhibitions, dance
and theater productions attracting an audience of approximately
30,000.
The audience served by the Center for the Arts includes both
the University and greater Middletown area. Fall 1996 figures
indicate that Wesleyan's 2725 full-time students are 9.0% African
American, 11.1% Asian, 6.8% Hispanic, .04% Native American and
2.9% other. The faculty numbers 327 (279 full-time, 48 part-time--217
male, 110 female) with 46 from minority groups--17 African American,
21 Asian and 8 Hispanic.
In general, responsibility for programming and the selection
of artists rests with the individual departments working with
the director of the Center. The curator of the Davison Art Center
Collection and the curator of exhibitions, Zilkha Gallery, are
charged with responsibility for the excellent exhibition program.
Music events are programmed by a special committee which includes
music faculty, graduate and undergraduate music students and
the Center director.
Of special attraction to the larger community outside the University
is the Crowell Concert Series featuring eminent concert artists
from diverse disciplines, and world music concerts highlighting
the extraordinary multicultural resources of the Music Department.
The Department counts among its faculty artists from India,
Indonesia and West Africa; and artists in residence in Indonesian,
Indian and African American music. Strong links have been established
between the Center for the Arts, the Center for African American
Studies and the Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies.
Outside funding (from federal, state and local sources) helps
to make it possible for the Departments of Theater and Dance
to present professional touring companies in their respective
disciplines. Both the imported and departmentally produced world
dance and theater events attract audiences from the central
Connecticut region.
In addition to its fall and spring semester activities, the
Center programs and manages a rich five-week summer program
of performing arts events including theater, dance, film, music
and gallery exhibitions.
