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Cliffe College of Creative Arts News

Colorful abstract painting by Steve Ehret

Guest artist Steve Ehret to present as part of Department of Art Lecture Series

YSU’s Department of Art will welcome guest artist Steve Ehret to campus as he presents as part of the Department of Art Lecture Series Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at the McDonough Museum of Art. Ehret (“Monster Steve”) makes careful observations about the world around him, breaking apart these settings in a way that speaks to the randomness of each passing mile. His goal is not realism, but rather a sense of gravity, atmosphere, wonder, nostalgia, grief, and the humor in it all.

The raven in the top left corner, the eye glass in the top right, the bottle in the bottom left, and the microphone in the bottom right.

University Theatre announces production slate for 2026-27 season

YSU’s University Theatre has announced that its 2026-27 season will be comprised of four productions, spanning mystery, musical comedy, and a showcase of graduating talent. The season will open with “Ravenscroft,” followed by “Clue, The Musical,” and “And Then There Were None,” with the season concluding in the spring following a Cabaret performance and senior project showcase.

Artist Bonny Leibowitz's Work

McDonough Museum to host guest artists for “Fall Exhibitions” and “Kilcawley Print Collection”

YSU’s McDonough Museum of Art will welcome guest artists Bonny Leibowitz, Alice Pixley Young, Deborah Wasserman, and Etty Yaniv for its annual “Fall Exhibitions” event titled “Around Here, It’s Always Eternity” beginning Tuesday, August 25, through Saturday, October 24, 2026. The McDonough will also host the “Kilcawley Print Collection” exhibition from August 25 through December 12, featuring 23 signed and numbered prints by prominent artists of the 1970s such as Andy Warhol and Christo.

Chanda Weigel's Painting of a Deer

Guest artist Chanda Weigel to exhibit at Solomon Gallery

YSU’s Department of Art will welcome guest artist Chanda Weigel to campus as she exhibits “All My Dreaming” at the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery beginning Tuesday, August 25, through Saturday, October 3, 2026. A mixed media artist, Weigel works with oils, acrylic, wood clay, textiles, and other materials to tell stories about the figures in her pieces.

illustration of comfortable raccoon or animal reading

McDonough Museum to open summer slate with five dynamic exhibitions

YSU’s McDonough Museum of Art will open its summer schedule with five dynamic exhibitions beginning Friday, May 29, through Saturday, July 18, 2026. The “Summer Exhibitions” will include Sharon M. Dundee’s “RUSTED ROOTS: Exploring Our Connection,” Laura Garvin’s “Sketches & Storyline: An Illustrator’s Creative Process,” and a commemorative US Semiquincentennial exhibition titled “Stitches in Time.” Also on display from May 29 to July 24 will be Crystal Beiersdorfer’s “#inhale_#exhale” and Random Acts of Artist’s “Moving Forward, Looking Back.”

dana summer camp header photo

Dana School of Music and University Theatre to host annual summer camps

YSU’s Dana School of Music and University Theatre welcome middle and high school students ages 13 – 18 to register for their annual summer camp events to be held this June at YSU’s Bliss Hall. Led by experienced faculty and guest artists, attendees will have the opportunity to develop their musical or theatrical skills and participate in elective workshops tailored to their goals. Pre-registration is required.

Graduating B.F.A. Exhibition

2026 senior art students to showcase work in “Graduating B.F.A. Exhibition” at McDonough Museum

Senior art students from YSU’s Department of Art will showcase their work in the “2026 Graduating B.F.A. Exhibition” at the McDonough Museum of Art beginning Friday, April 17, through Saturday, May 2. This annual exhibition serves as an opportunity for senior students in the department to share the original and innovative discoveries they have made in their artistic journeys with the public.

Junior Portfolio Review Exhibition

Solomon Gallery to host annual “Junior Portfolio Review Exhibition” for junior art students

YSU’s Department of Art will showcase the work of its junior art students in the “Junior Portfolio Review Exhibition” beginning Monday, April 20, through Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery, located in YSU’s Bliss Hall. Prior to beginning their senior-level studio art coursework, all junior-level art students are required to present their bodies of work for review by a studio faculty committee in the form of this exhibit.

Students at Freshman Portfolio Review

Freshmen art students to exhibit work in Portfolio Review Showcase

YSU’s Department of Art will exhibit the work of its freshmen art students in a Freshman Portfolio Review Showcase Monday, April 13, 2026, from 12:00 to 2:00 PM on the fourth floor of YSU’s Bliss Hall. All freshmen art students are required to complete a Freshman Seminar and Portfolio Review course, which culminates with this public showcase and gives the students a chance to receive feedback from the public on their work.

Kiss Me Kate Poster

University Theatre to end 2025-26 run with production of “Kiss Me, Kate”

YSU’s University Theatre will close the curtain on its 2025-26 season with the production of the Broadway musical “Kiss Me, Kate” April 16 – 19 at the YSU Ford Theater, located in YSU’s Bliss Hall. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Kiss Me, Kate” follows a feuding pair of ex-spouses—both actors—who must navigate romantic rivalry, mob entanglements, and Shakespearean mischief over the course of one wild opening night.