The Arts Start Here!

The arts start at The University of Akron with outstanding people and programs in visual and performing arts. Art exhibitions, dance performances, theatre productions, music concerts, operas, lectures, and much more are available on campus.

Many events are free, and all are open to the public. University artists and nationally and internationally acclaimed guest artists share their talents with the campus and community, provide a vibrant arts scene, and boost the region's economic and cultural vitality.

E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall

E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall (right) presents Broadway shows, concerts, dance performances, the UA Forum Speakers Series, Rock the Roo concerts and much more every exciting season. The region's flagship performance venue, Thomas Hall has been called one of the most beautiful and flexible performance halls in the world by New York Times architectural critic Ada Huxtable.

Guzzetta Hall

All of the University's academic programs in the performing arts - music, dance, theatre, and arts administration - are under one big roof at Guzzetta Hall (right). Adjacent to Guzzetta Hall is E.J. Thomas Hall, creating an artistic, educational and cultural hub for the campus and community.

Opened in 2006, the world-class Center for Dance and Theatre at Guzzetta Hall is home to the UA School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration. The center features seven technology-enhanced dance studios, including the Francia Holliday Albrecht Dance Performance Studio, a design and lighting studio, scene and costume shops; trainer and physiotherapy facilities; locker rooms; and technology-enhanced classrooms.

The original portion of Guzzetta Hall, built in 1976, is home to the UA School of Music. Guzzetta Recital Hall is a 250-seat concert venue with a three-manual Moeller pipe organ, a Neupert harpsichord, and two Steinway concert grand pianos. The hall presents more than 300 music performances a year, including the Kulas Concert Series, operas, musicals, recitals, and more.

A professional-quality recording studio and a Music Computer Center are also in Guzzetta Hall.

Sandefur Theatre in Guzzetta Hall is a flexible black-box theatre seating up to 125 patrons. Varian Theatre is a black-box studio space for classes as well as the performance of experimental plays and intimate work.

Daum Theatre

The Paul A. Daum Theatre is a 250-seat proscenium space in Kolbe Hall. Plays, musicals, lectures, and other events are presented in Daum Theatre.

Folk Hall and the Emily Davis Gallery

Folk Hall, home of the Myers School of Art, is among the largest and most impressive art facilities in the region. The renowned Emily Davis Gallery (right) in Folk Hall showcases work and lectures by emerging and established contemporary artists. Featuring two separate exhibition levels, the Davis Gallery programs about 12 exhibitions every year. Smaller galleries are located throughout the campus, including in the Honors Complex.