Growing a
culture for art at Duke

The arts thrive at Duke. Academic programs, critically acclaimed organizations and visiting artists create connections between campus, the Durham community, and international thinkers, makers, and performers.

Pictured above: Painter Mario Moore is the artist-in-residence at the Rubenstein Arts Center in Spring 2022. Moore will be in Durham between January 16 and March 6 to visit classes at Duke and beyond, present public programs, and develop new work.

The Office of the
Vice-Provost for the Arts

The Vice Provost for the Arts is charged with transforming the arts at Duke. This office works with academic, student and community arts programs to embed art into the mainstream Duke experience.

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34 Arts Degrees, Minors, and Certificates
Undergraduate and graduate programs leverage the resources of a top research university
31 Visiting Artists supported in 2019–2020
Hosted by departments across Duke with our support
98 Total arts faculty
Lead our culture of creative innovation

Artists as Researchers

Music

Disrupting Classical Composition

PhD student Brittany J. Green's latest orchestral work, “Against/Sharp,” explores the relationship between music and Black feminist theory.

Visual Arts

Tackling Climate Change Through Storytelling

A Bass Connections team created a woven piece made with recycled and reused materials, depicting an interpretation of a graph predicting future scenarios of sea level rise.

Dance

Dancing Through STEAM

Three Duke alumnae share how they split their time at Duke between rigorous science courses and a steadfast passion for dance.

Visual Arts

At the Intersection of Art and Science

Clay Sanders, who received a PhD in civil engineering from Duke in 2020, currently has a painting depicting a dance rehearsal on display in the Rubenstein Arts Center.

Upcoming Events

Arts
University Worship
January 23, 2022 — 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Arts
Choral Evensong
January 23, 2022 — 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Visual and Creative Arts
Creative Curriculum Consultation
January 24, 2022 — 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Visual and Creative Arts
Wellness & Self-Care: Hypnosis Art
January 24, 2022 — 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

more arts events

News View All

Latest stories in the arts at Duke. Published by Duke Arts and around the web.

Q&A with Jonathan Wilkins ‘14, MBA Student & Former Director of Business Strategy, Vans

Published: January 23, 2022

Q&A with Sofía Manfredi ‘15, Former Staff Writer, Netflix’s Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj

Published: January 14, 2022

Artists as Researchers: Brittany J. Green Is Disrupting Classical Composition

Published: January 14, 2022

Bridging the Gap Between Medicine and the Arts

Published: January 14, 2022

People of Duke Arts

Meet the people behind the arts at Duke and discover their inspirations, tips for finding community on campus, and more.

Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Chris Pattishall returned to Durham, his hometown, as part of a yearlong residency with Duke Performances. Click to read more.

Artist-in-residence Bijayini Sapathy led a community dance workshop ahead of the premiere of her new work “ABHIPSAA – a seeking,” co-commissioned by Duke Performances. Click to read more.

Stephen Hayes, instructor of art, art history & visual studies, works with students in the Rubenstein Arts Center. Click to read more.

Duke seniors María Zurita Ontiveros and Ash Jeffers are the creative team behind *Medea*, the first mainstage Theater Studies has produced with students at its helm. Click to read more.

Only In
Durham

The creative community in the Triangle runs deep and shares an entrepreneurial spirit—helping to make Duke and Durham incredible places to study and experience the arts.

arts in Durham