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
Bach's Lunch – 12:10-12:45 p.m., Feb. 12, Eisenhower Chapel, University Park campus. "Bach's Lunch" is a weekly concert series during the school year. These popular concerts are brief in order to make it possible for the University community to attend during the lunch hour. Free.
Cirque Kalabante: "Afrique en Cirque" – 10-11 a.m., Feb. 12, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Cirque Kalabanté emanates the energy and artistry of West Africa through breathtaking acrobatics and live music. The colorful and kinetic show features vibrant scenery and costumes, paired with live music performed on traditional instruments including kora and djembe, make up the universe of Kalabanté Productions.
Lunar New Year Concert – 5-6:30 p.m., Feb. 13, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. Celebrate the Lunar New Year with performances by Penn State faculty and students, community musicians, and young performers. This program highlights musical traditions from across East Asia and beyond through a diverse mix of traditional and contemporary works for voice, piano, strings, winds and traditional Asian instruments. The evening also includes a pre-concert instrument showcase and children’s activities beginning at 4:15 p.m., and concludes with a reception in the lobby following the performance. Free.
Philharmonic Orchestra – 4-5:30 p.m., Feb. 15, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. The Penn State Philharmonic Orchestra presents a powerful program featuring Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2, Ginastera’s vibrant Overture to the Creole "Faust," the world premiere of Pockets and Spaces by Penn State alum Gabriel Newvine, and Schoenberg’s deeply moving A Survivor from Warsaw, featuring members of the Concert Choir and Glee Club. The afternoon concludes with Sibelius’ Finlandia, offering audiences a concert that spans contemporary voices, historical reflection, and symphonic grandeur.
Let’s Dance: Movement Workshop – 5:30 p.m., Feb. 17, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Members of the For Good Troupe, directed by Krista Wilkinson, will perform excerpts from their favorite musical theatre productions. Penn State Professor of Dance Michele Dunleavy will then teach attendees some basic choreography. No singing or dancing experience is necessary. Registration is required. Free.
Events
National Black History Month events – Multiple dates and locations throughout February. Several Penn State campuses across the commonwealth will be holding events this month in commemoration of National Black History Month.
Blind Date with a Book – Through February, Weltman Lobby, Pattee Library, University Park campus. Shelves in Pattee Library's Weltman Lobby will be filled with wrapped books described by just a few clues and keywords. Books may not be unwrapped until after they are checked out at the lending services desk. Both fiction and nonfiction books in a variety of genres are available for students to check out for a reading date.
Beekeeping Around the World: Italy – Noon, Feb. 12, via Zoom. Penn State Extension will host a webinar series for those interested in learning about beekeeping practices and challenges in different parts of the world. Each week will feature a different location, and presenters will discuss what beekeeping is like there.
Palmer Art Kids – 2-3 p.m., Feb. 12, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Preschool children and their caregivers will discover fascinating works of art, listen to engaging stories, and create hands-on crafts inspired by the museum’s collection. Through sensory-rich experiences, young learners will strengthen their connection to art while expressing themselves creatively. Registration required. Free.
Arboretum Explorers Family Hike – 1:30-2:30 p.m., Feb. 13, 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 Art of Chocolate: A Guided Tasting Experience” — 1-2:30 p.m., Feb. 14, Palmer Museum of Arts, University Park campus. Join the Arboretum, the Penn State Plant Institute, and local food creators in exploring chocolate pairings. We will be joined by chocolate researchers and tasting experts to dive into the fascinating world of pairings and learn more about the history of foods associated with romance and decadence. 18+. Registration required.
Family Gardening Club – 1:30-3:30 p.m., Feb. 15, the Arboretum, University Park campus. This monthly program series will take place on Sunday afternoons from January to June. Participants will receive all the supplies necessary to grow six seasonally appropriate plant varieties from seed to harvest, including seeds, soil, and full-size containers suitable for small outdoor spaces. Registration required.
Nature Sketching – 10-11:30 a.m., Feb. 17, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. This art class for adults explores a variety of art materials and techniques as we connect art and nature. All experience levels are welcome, from beginner to professional. Free.
PSAA Presents: Paint Night – 7-9 p.m., Feb. 17, via Zoom. Join State College artist Jackie Gianico for a painting session inspired by winter, creating a painting of a skier on Tussey Mountain. Supplies not included. Free.
Yoga and Mindfulness at the Palmer – Noon, Feb. 18, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation at the museum. All bodies are welcome, and no experience is necessary. This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.
Creative Studio at the Palmer: Somatic Circles – 5:30-7:30 p.m., Feb. 19, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Draw simultaneously with both hands to stimulate both sides of your brain and boost creativity, increase mindfulness, and help process stress. Hosted by Erin E. Carter, EdD, ATR-BC, Assistant Teaching Professor of Creative Arts Therapies, and Erin Bolger Welsh, Art Educator, these sessions offer art-based creative activities designed to encourage relaxation, connection with others, and rejuvenation of spirit.
Lectures
Beekeeping Around the World: Italy – Noon, Feb. 12, via Zoom. Penn State Extension will host a webinar series for those interested in learning about beekeeping practices and challenges in different parts of the world. Each week will feature a different location, and presenters will discuss what beekeeping is like there.
Gallery Talk + Conversation: Insistent Presence – 5:30 p.m., Feb. 12, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Enjoy an in-depth gallery conversation with Amanda Hellman, Palmer director and specialist in African art, about new special exhibition “Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection.”
Fisher Family Writer-in-Residence: Lynn Emanuel – 6 p.m., Feb. 12, Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, University Park campus. Renowned poet Lynn Emanuel will visit Penn State as this year’s Fisher Family Writer-in-Residence. Emanuel will give a public reading and share her expertise and work with students. Emanuel is the author of six books of poetry including “The Nerve of It,” a selection of poems for which she received the Lenore Marshall Award by the Academy of American Poets.
Ashtekar Frontiers of Science: Materials – 11 a.m.-12:30 a.m., Feb. 14, 001 Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building, University Park campus. Danielle Hickey, assistant professor of chemistry and of materials science and engineering, and Bryce Gadway, professor of physics, will deliver lectures followed by a Q&A session.
“Architecture and Social Sustainability, Understanding the New Paradigm” – 4 p.m., Feb. 16, Woksob Family Gallery, downtown State College. Alexandra Staub, professor of architecture, and B. Stephen Carpenter II, Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Dean in the College of Arts and Architecture, will discuss Staub's recently published book. For architects and urban designers seeking alternatives to conventional practice, as well as educators and students incorporating social sustainability as a foundational design concept, the book ties together design thinking and action to show architecture’s potential for social change.
"A Fistful of Dollars" – 7:30-9:30 p.m., Feb. 16, Esber Rehearsal Hall, University Park campus. M.A. Musicology student Caleb Rebarchak will present a lecture on the film music of "A Fistful of Dollars," followed by a screening of the film.
"Hatchwork: An Archaeology of Generative Drawing" – 4-5 p.m., Feb. 18, Stuckeman Family Building Jury Space, University Park campus.Adam Marcus and Andrew Kudless will trace their shared research history over 15 years with generative methods of design and graphic representation from their archive of architectural ideations.
Beekeeping Around the World: Israel – Noon, Feb. 19, via Zoom. Penn State Extension will host a webinar series for those interested in learning about beekeeping practices and challenges in different parts of the world. Each week will feature a different location, and presenters will discuss what beekeeping is like there.
In-person exhibits
“Entropy” – Through Feb. 16, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. Jenee Mateer’s work explores time as a visible force – particularly as it manifests in the quiet transformation of her own garden. Drawing on the traditions of still life, especially the Renaissance-era “nature morte” (“dead nature”), Entropy reanimates the genre to investigate cycles of decay, regeneration, and meaning-making in both nature and art.
"Living Landscapes and More" – Through Feb. 27, Friedman Art Gallery, Wilkes-Barre campus. A new solo exhibition by Mountain Top artist Johar Manzar will feature a variety of artworks. Manzar is a board-certified assistant professor and physician-scientist at MD Anderson, where she works in pediatric radiation oncology. She holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering and studied medicine at the Mayo Clinic.
"My FireFlies – Creating Peacemakers in Our Region" – Through Feb. 27, Art Space, Classroom Building, Room 100, Schuylkill campus. An exhibition by Ibiyinka “Ibi” Alao, an internationally recognized artist, architect and author whose work explores themes of peace, childhood memory and renewal. He earned a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Ife in Nigeria and won first place among artists from 61 countries in the United Nations International Arts Competition. He also serves as a United Nations Arts Ambassador.
"30 x 30" — Through March 9, Henry Art Gallery, Great Valley campus. Founded in 1996 by three artist friends, the Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists (MCGOPA) has spent three decades fostering creativity, community and public appreciation for original artwork. The “30 x 30” show commemorates this milestone with a vibrant showcase of diverse styles, mediums and artistic voices. Each piece reflects the unique perspectives of MCGOPA’s members and the dynamic range of talent that defines the guild.
“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.
“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.