On stage, on the walls and on the grounds, art is all around us at Penn.

In the expressive form of Penn’s outdoor sculpture and in its architectural landmarks, it takes solid form. The concerts, plays and dances performed on campus stages show its fluid side. And it changes as constantly as the exhibits in the campus art galleries.

The University has a long artistic pedigree. Its architecture program is the second oldest in the United States and remains the core of the Graduate School of Fine Arts. Its Music Department boasts world-renowned composers and theoreticians on its faculty. And its fine arts programs have been rejeuvenated with top-flight artist/instructors, cutting-edge technology and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

But the arts have an even bigger extracurricular presence on campus. Scores of student music, dance and theater groups keep Penn’s stages humming with activity.

Penn is also a major presence on the city’s professional performing arts landscape with its Penn Presents series devoted to dance, jazz, theater and classical music.

The material presented here barely scratches the surface of what Penn has to offer in the world of arts and culture. The best way to dig deeper is to take in some of the hundreds of events on campus each year. Besides those listed at left, our “What’s On” calendar (see page 6) lists many more every issue.

—Sandy Smith

Articles in this report:

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