ETSU hosts Arts Showcase at Martin Center 

East Tennessee State University is set to bring the transformative power of the arts center stage with an extraordinary event that celebrates the talents of students across the College of Arts and Sciences.  

The ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts Showcase will take place Sunday, Jan. 26, at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts, offering attendees an afternoon filled with performances, presentations and exhibitions.   

Doors open at 1:30 p.m. for an immersive lobby experience featuring student art displays, live music and appetizers. The main event, a concert showcasing performances from ETSU’s departments of Art and Design, Creative Writing, Music, Theatre and Dance, Storytelling, Film and Media Studies, and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, begins at 3 p.m. in the ETSU Foundation Grand Hall.  

“This showcase is a testament to the creativity, passion and collaborative spirit of our students,” said Dr. Steph Frye-Clark, interim director of the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, associate professor of tuba and euphonium in the Department of Music, and the faculty trustee on the ETSU Board of Trustees. “The arts are not just a reflection of our humanity – they’re a vital part of how we engage with the world. This event is an opportunity to celebrate the incredible work happening across our college and to share it with the community.”  

Attendees will experience a variety of student-led performances, from musical compositions and theatrical vignettes to storytelling and film presentations. The event also features visual art exhibitions highlighting the innovative work of ETSU’s art students.  

The showcase underscores ETSU’s dedication to fostering artistic excellence and its mission to empower students to become cultural leaders in Appalachia and beyond.  

“This is more than a concert or an exhibit,” Frye-Clark said. “It’s a celebration of what makes ETSU special: a commitment to creativity, to collaboration and to sharing the arts as a powerful force for connection and inspiration.”  

The event is free and open to the public.   

To learn more about these and other events at ETSU, visit the university’s online calendar at etsu.edu/calendar/default.php. For disability accommodations, contact Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.