Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University

CREATIVE ARTS (Art and Art History, Emerging Media & Digital Arts, and Creative Writing)

MUSIC

THEATRE ARTS (including Shakespeare Studies, Musical Theatre Studies and Dance Studies)

Office - Rm 142 in Music Building

541-552-6347

Director - David R. Humphrey

Director of the Schneider Museum of Art - Erika Leppmann

Chair of Creative Arts - Deborah Rosenberg

Coordinator of Curriculum & Advising for Creative Arts - Miles Inada

Chair of Music - Vicki Purslow

Co-chair of Theatre Arts (Academic) - Eric Levin

Co-chair of Theatre Arts (Performance) - Jackie Apodaca

Marketing & Public Relations/Program Manager for Music - Christi Courian

Program Manager for Creative Arts - Zoey Boyles

Program Manager for Theatre Arts - Lois DeBruno

Production Manager - Thomas Knapp

Program Manager for Schneider Museum of Art - Nancy Riggs

VISION STATEMENT

The Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University empowers people to learn, interpret and change the world through the arts.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University educates artist practitioners and scholars in a diverse environment that cultivates Southern Oregon University’s values of creativity, collaboration, communication, and adventure.  The Center encourages artistic excellence, contextual understanding and critical thought, and urges explorations of innovative, emerging approaches, forms, and expressions.

FOCUS

Focus will be on the training, nurturing, presenting, and honoring of Oregon artists.  The unique Oregon setting of the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU serves as a creative catalyst for the mixture of students, educators, and artists from the state, the nation and the world.  This diverse combination will infuse the Oregon arts landscape with artistic excellence.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

Academic Programs

Academic programs are at the core of the Center–Creative Arts (Art and Art History, Emerging Media & Digital Arts, and Creative Writing) Music, and Theatre Arts, (Dance/Movement Studies & Musical Theatre Studies). Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in these programs.

The Schneider Museum of Art

The Museum is actively involved with the University’s studio art experience by exhibiting work from important professional contemporary Oregon, national, and international artists.  The Museum’s programming includes a nascent visiting artist-in-residence program with artists creating original works on site.  These are presented in the Museum and provide unique opportunities for student involvement.  Strong collaborative programs are developed with all areas of the arts to engage students and present works of innovation and exploration.  

Allied Arts Programs

A second component of the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU is its university related programs including Chamber Music Concerts, the proposed ShakespeareAMERICA Institute (a partnership between SOU and OSF), the Institute of New Writing/Ashland, High School Honors Band and Choir, Shakespeare Visiting Schools Program and more, all of which serve as cultural and academic accompaniment that make available unique educational experiences for students, stimulate recruitment and provide artistic distinctiveness to the Center and the entire University.

Community Arts Partnerships

The third component of the Center is the close working relationships and partnerships that exists between the University and community arts organizations including Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Britt Festivals, Ashland International Film Festival, Rogue Valley Symphony, Southern Oregon Repertory Singers, Ashland Gallery Association, and many others.  Community arts organizations provide professional/semi-professional arts experiences for SOU students.  There is a long history of collaboration between SOU and the partner organizations that have created for the region and the state a rich cultural environment. 

For information about any of the program areas or contact information go to the specific program page in the catalog.

Schneider Museum of Art is open 10 am to 4 pm Monday - Saturday.  For information about exhibitions go to sma@sou.edu or call 541-552-6245.