What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events — both in-person and virtual — open to the University and local community:
Performances
Penn State Trombone Choir – 7:30 p.m., April 2, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. The Penn State Trombone Choir will perform a spring concert, featuring guest soloist, Myles Blakemore, assistant professor of trombone at the University of Maryland. This concert will also feature two new student compositions.
Jessica Vosk – 7:30 p.m., April 3, Pullo Center, York campus. Jessica Vosk, celebrated singer and actress known for electrifying roles on musical theater and concert stages, will deliver a live concert at Penn State York. Best known for her star turn as Elphaba in “Wicked,” her other Broadway credits include “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Finding Neverland,” and “The Bridges of Madison County.” She is currently starring as Jersey in Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen.”
“The Music Man” – 7 p.m., April 7, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. There’s trouble in River City when a fast-talking salesman gets his heart stolen by the town librarian. Tony Award-winning musical comedy “The Music Man” follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa.
"Our Town" – April 7-18, Playhouse Theatre, University Park campus. Penn State Centre Stage presents Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” directed by Steve Snyder. Set in Grover’s Corners, Our Town” unfolds with the tender, familiar and fading beauty of lilacs in spring, tracing the lives of the Gibbs and Webb families as they discover love, deal with loss, and come to understand the quiet miracle of everyday life.
Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain – 7:30 p.m., April 9, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. The musicians of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain bring their genre-bending covers of well-known songs to Penn State in celebration of the orchestra’s fortieth anniversary. The seven artists, their voices, and their ukuleles lead an evening of light antics and technically superior playing skills to their versions of popular hits spanning the 1960s through the twentieth century.
Events
Earth Month events — Multiple events and locations. Penn State Sustainability and other Penn State units will host a series of events throughout April in celebration of Earth Month, offering students, faculty, staff and community members numerous opportunities to engage in sustainability through education, collaboration and action.
Campus Pride Month events — Multiple events and locations. Campuses across Penn State are offering events in recognition of Campus Pride Month this April.
Bird Walk – 8-9:30 a.m., April 2, the Arboretum, University Park campus. Drop in to the Arboretum for a guided bird-watching walk, led by avian expert Joe Gyekis. Please dress for the weather, wear shoes suitable for walking on rustic trails, and bring binoculars if you have them.
Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Commission on Women Listening Session – 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, April 2, Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. The Commission invites all women to attend and share their lived experiences. These conversations will directly inform the State of the Woman Report — the first comprehensive report on the status of women in Pennsylvania in more than two decades. Moderated by Penn State Altoona professor Beth Seymour.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Global Goals - A Taste of the World Cup – April 2, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Arboretum Explorers Family Hike – 1:30-2:30 p.m., April 3, the Arboretum, University Park campus. This monthly program for children and their grown-ups, participants will explore our lesser-known spaces including the Hartley Wood and Arboretum prairie lands. The group meets at the Overlook Pavilion and proceeds to the Arboretum’s natural areas after a short program introduction. Free.
“The Power of Visual Storytelling: Conversations with Pedro Martin” – Multiple events, April 6, Harrisburg campus. Award-winning author Pedro Martin will visit Penn State Harrisburg for two speaking events featuring art demonstrations for students and the community. The son of an immigrant sharecropper and one of nine children, Martin spent his childhood working in the strawberry fields of the Monterey Bay Area. He earned a graphic design degree from San Jose State University.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Bridgerton Night — April 7, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Queer and Feminist Zine Workshop – 6-7:30 p.m., April 7, Mann Assembly Room, Paterno Library, University Park campus. Penn State University Libraries will host a Queer and Feminist Zine Showcase to explore the history and culture of zine-making at Penn State through hands-on workshop activities and a display of work from local creators. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about zine culture, create their own zines, and share their work during the showcase. Free.
Intersections Film Series: "Sally" — 7-9 p.m., April 8, Online. Sustain Penn State will host a virtual screening of the award-winning documentary, "Sally," which explores themes of sustainability, equity and social change through the life of trailblazing astronaut Sally Ride. Registration required.
Ambassadors and PSAs: Pop Up Exhibition – 3:30-5 p.m., April 9, and noon-2 p.m., April 10, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Explore a special pop-up exhibition shaped by the shared perspectives of our Ambassadors and Palmer Student Ambassadors (PSAs). It celebrates curiosity and the many ways we see and understand art together. Ambassadors and PSAs will share the stories, questions, and connections that inspired their selections April 9. The exhibition will be open for drop-in viewing and conversations with volunteers April 10.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Jasmine Jardin - From Madrid to MarraKech — April 9, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Lectures
"Embracing Identity: Why We Can't 'Stick to the Science'" — 4 p.m., April 2, Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Award-winning science journalist Maddie Sofia will present the spring 2026 A. Dixon and Betty F. Johnson Lectureship in Scientific Communication. Sofia's talk will address their experience of publicly exploring their own identity as the host of an NPR science podcast and how embracing identity can build trust with audiences. They'll also talk about the power of inclusive science communication in scientific spaces.
Artist Lecture: Sharif Bey – 6 p.m., April 2, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Sharif Bey is a Syracuse-based artist and educator. His ceramic and mixed-media work explores the visual traditions of African and Oceanic art and African American culture. Inspired by modernism and functional pottery, Bey’s works investigate symbolic and formal properties of archetypal motifs, while questioning how the meaning of icons and function transform across cultures and time.
“The Power of Graphic Literature for Making Sense of Pre-Columbian Indigenous Societies and their Environments" — Noon, April 3, Room 114, Evelyn Graham Academic Building, Hazleton campus. Penn State Hazleton’s Lectures and Cultural Events Committee will host José M. Capriles, associate professor of anthropology in Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts, as the guest speaker for the campus’ annual George Tseo Memorial Lecture.
Anderson Lecture Series: David Hytone — 11:30 a.m., April 7, Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, University Park campus. The College of Arts and Architecture’s School of Visual Arts welcomes visual artist David Hytone, a painter based in Tacoma, Washington. A 2024 McDowell Fellow and finalist for the 2018 Neddy Award in Painting, his work has been featured in several publications including Harper’s, Luxe, Seattle Met, and the final issue of Modern Painters magazine.
“Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health in the Modern World” – 6 p.m., April 7, Hintz Family Alumni Center, University Park campus. Kevin Lynch, founder and chief executive officer of the Quell Foundation, will deliver the 28th Annual Stanley P. Mayers Endowed Lecture, hosted by the Penn State Department of Health Policy and Administration. Prior to Lynch’s talk, finalists from the Marshal Raffel Student Showcase will present research posters, and a student awards ceremony will be held. Free.
"Money. Power. Respect. A Labor Agenda for the Next Generation" — 7 p.m., April 7, 104 Keller Building, University Park campus. April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), will deliver the 2026 Philip Murray Memorial Labor Lecture. Verrett is an advocate for working people and a visionary leader at the forefront of building a modern-day labor movement. As the leader of the two million-member SEIU, she said she is driven by the conviction that unions give workers a platform to fight for more than wages, benefits, and working conditions.
"Fostering Healthier Digital Ecosystems Through Prosocial Design and Digital Literacy Interventions" — 12:10 p.m., April 9, E208 Westgate Building, University Park campus. Natalie Bazarova, professor of communication, director of the Social Media Lab and associate vice provost for research at Cornell University, will present a talk hosted by the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series.
“Beyond the Bell Curve Assumption: Recent Advances in Statistical Graphical Models” – 3:30 p.m., April 9, 201 Thomas Building, University Park campus. Lingzhou Xue, professor of statistics at Penn State, will present a talk as part of the Department of Statistics public lecture series. In his research, Xue explores how to build reliable models and learn from large and complex datasets. Much of his recent work focuses on learning from data collected across diverse sources, and designing models that can support better decision-making in areas such as health, the environment and society.
In-person exhibits
‘Teathers and Ties’ – Through April 10, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. An exhibit of work by visual art studies student Sophie Replogle. Replogle explores how the experiences that shape who we become and the paths we take are endlessly linked to our past, present and future lives.
‘Creating: Whispering Pines’ — Through April 10, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. An exhibit of work by visual art studies student Taylor Wheeler. Wheeler creates a conceptual world made for highlighting the importance of creative labor, concept art and visual development, which takes place behind many beloved shows, movies, graphic novels and other media.
"Who Wears the Pants?! Fashion History One Leg at a Time" — Through April 26, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The exhibition in the Barbara and Lee Maimon Teaching Gallery, organized by Charlene Gross, associate professor of theater in costume design, and Keri Mongelluzzo, educator for academic engagement and access at the Palmer, explores the often-complex history of who wore pants, who didn’t and why it matters.
"Malaysian WWII Oral Histories: A Digital / Virtual Art Exhibition" — Through May 1, Freyberger Gallery, Berks campus. Created by Cheryl L. Nicholas, associate professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State Berks, the exhibition draws directly from her Malaysian WWII Oral Histories Project, which opened to a crowd of 3,000 at Perak Museum in Malaysia in 2023. Viewers will walk through a Malaysian house facade into a digital experience, where they can watch videos, listen to interviews, and experience an interactive VR environment, which includes artifacts from family collections.
Student art exhibit – Through May 1, Friedman Art Gallery, Wilkes-Barre campus. Artwork created by students enrolled in the "Renaissance through Modern Times," "Perceiving the Arts," "Rhetoric and Composition" and "Crime and Detection in World Literature" courses will have their artwork on display.
“Squeeze Me In” – Through May 2, Woksob Family Gallery, downtown State College. This exhibition features artworks created by Beatrice Opokua Atencah, John M. Anderson assistant teaching professor of art in the College of Arts and Architecture’s School of Visual Arts. The exhibition explores how identity is rediscovered and transformed through clothing by combining craft processes — dyeing, sewing and beading — with spatial considerations and the complex history of corsetry as frameworks for examining acceptance and belonging.
"Like It Is" – Through May 9, Ronald K. DeLong Gallery, Lehigh Valley campus. This exhibit features the work of abstract artist Femi J. Johnson. Johnson was born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in Easton, Pennsylvania. His early talent in graphite and charcoal led to a professional career as a master draftsman and designer for companies in Pennsylvania and New York before he returned his focus to fine art.
"Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection" – Through May 10, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The exhibition presents 40 works of sculpture, painting, ceramics, printmaking and photography by 22 living artists who have lived and worked on the African continent or in the diaspora.
"Playing Favorites: Highlights from the Special Collections Library" – Through May 13, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. For this endeavor, those who teach, catalog, research, acquire, curate and describe rare book and archival materials were invited to choose one or two items to share with a wider audience — in hopes that visitors will be enraptured with the eclectic results.
"Refugee" – Through June 5, Woskob Family Gallery, 146 S. Allen St., Downtown State College. An exhibition of large-scale paintings created by School of Visual Arts alumnus Michael Fratangelo.
“Sweet Solidarity: Portraits of Learning and Liberation” – Through June 8, Exhibition Cases, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. Jasmine Cho’s work intertwines activism, artistry, and culinary creativity to explore the intricate relationship between food, cultural identity, and community care. Through the unique medium of pastry art, she invites visitors to reflect on how our shared experiences and culinary traditions can nourish not just the body, but also the spirit of solidarity among diverse communities.
Center for Arts and Crafts Artist and Instructor Exhibition — Through June 8, Exhibition cases, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. The exhibition features artwork by instructors and students from Penn State’s Center for Arts and Crafts, representing a range of classes and workshops. The annual exhibition highlights a variety of craft materials and techniques and reflects the ways artists learn from and influence one another.
“Expanding the Collection: Recent Acquisitions” – Through June 14, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Reflecting the nearly encyclopedic nature of the Palmer’s permanent collection, new acquisitions represent a wide range of cultures, time periods, and artistic approaches. In this exhibition, a wide range of artistic pieces cover the continued relevance of art throughout history and into today. The exhibit also offers insight into how works of art enter the museum’s holdings. All collecting is guided by the museum’s Collections Plan, which defines the scope of the collection, identifies areas for growth, and establishes priorities to ensure that each acquisition contributes meaningfully to the museum’s mission and long-term vision.
“Puss an dawg nuh have di same luck” – Through July 19, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. Krystle Lemonias’s multifaceted art practice explores the intersections of labor, identity, and social justice, providing a powerful commentary on the experiences of Black immigrants and the complexities of working-class life. Her work not only highlights the often-overlooked contributions of these individuals to society but also challenges the stereotypes associated with their roles in the workforce.
“Through Different Eyes: Industrial Worlds by Women Artists” – Through December, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery, University Park campus. This exhibit explores the lives of women artists in 20th-century industrial Pennsylvania through their artwork and premiers the curatorial work of undergraduate students Alexis Woodring, a public relations major, and Gabriella Heidorn, an art history major with a minor in French and Francophone studies, who both have special interests in American art.
“Hybrid Zones” – Through March 8, 2027, HUB Gallery, University Park campus. “Hybrid Zones” is an immersive exploration of the post-industrial landscape of Eastern Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. Through drawing, photography, and video installation, the artists trace the environmental and psychological imprint of centuries of resource extraction. In this powerful new body of work, Rachel Bacon and Meredith Davenport confront the entanglement of human and nonhuman systems, reflecting on how deeply industrial history is inscribed into the land—and into us.
"The Way I Saw It: A Photography Retrospective" – Through Aug. 1, 2027, Penn State All-Sports Museum, University Park campus. “The Way I Saw It” celebrates the work of Penn State alumnus Pat Little, who started out with the Daily Collegian and spent over three decades as a photojournalist with the Centre Daily Times, Associated Press and Reuters. Starting from a million photo negatives then narrowed down to a set of 5,000 photographs, the exhibit presents a final curated collection of 100 unique and powerful images of Penn State athletes, coaches, venues and fans, shot by Little between 1977 and 2005.
Virtual exhibits and online resources
In addition to in-person events, a number of virtual exhibits and online resources are available through University departments. The Palmer Museum of Art and Penn State University Libraries offer a rotating selection of historical and artistic collections to view via their websites, as well as other online resources.