News

Headshot of Dr. Ben Arnold, wearing a blue button down and glasses against a blue sky
Appointment of Dr. Ben Arnold as Director of the School of Music
Dr. Ben Arnold has agreed to begin service on July 1, 2025, for a four-year term as Director of the School of Music to conclude on June 30, 2029.
IMAGE: Carrie Mae Weems, Mayflowers from the series May Days Long Forgotten, 2002, chromogenic print. Collection of the UK Art Museum, purchase: The Robert C. May Photography Fund.
‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’ exhibition explores Black girlhood as part of Black studies symposium
The University of Kentucky Art Museum presents “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” an exhibition exploring the complexity of Black girls’ emotional lives as portrayed in a range of artworks, from 1930s painted portraits to 21st century photography.
Still from animation demonstration
Collaborative animation project spans continents, includes UK art students
Students in the UK’s School of Art and Visual Studies will participate in an international collaborative animation project Feb. 27. The collaboration includes art students in Belgium, South Africa and Poland.
Jaleesa Wells, Ph.D,, speaks to attendees at the inaugural Women’s Perspectives in Arts Administration Symposium in 2024. Wells is the symposium organizer and an assistant professor of arts administration at UK. Arden Barnes | UK Photo
Department of Arts Administration hosts the second annual Women’s Perspectives in Arts Administration Symposium
The University of Kentucky Department of Arts Administration will host the Women’s Perspectives in Arts Administration (WPAA) Symposium Friday, Feb. 14, at the Gatton Student Center.

Donna Kwon and book covers
Donna Kwon publishes works on K-Pop, Korean Drumming and Dance
Associate Professor Donna Kwon published the chapter "K-pop and the Racialization of Asian American Popular Musicians" in the book "Korean Pop Culture Beyond Asia," University of Washington Press.
Taha Mandviwala in Life of Pi play
Theatre alum living the ‘Life of Pi’
Taha Mandviwala has immersed himself in professional theater since graduating from the University of Kentucky in 2016. His latest role is Pi Patel, the title character in the three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway play “Life of Pi.” In the Broadway production, Mandviwala played supporting roles, but he was cast as Pi for the play’s North American tour.
Dima Strakovsky
People Behind Our Research: Dmitry Strakovsky strives to connect the arts and health
Dmitry “Dima” Strakovsky is fostering collaborations between creative disciplines and health care through an innovative initiative at the University of Kentucky.
The music education majors learned that engaging students actively helps them retain what they learned during the workshop. Photo provided by Martina Vasil.
Teaching workshop builds confidence in music education
Through a service learning project, music education students in the UK School of Music bring fun music lessons to regional elementary students.
Image of Adrianna Dick wearing a teal shirt and black pants, outdoors with her trumpet
Freshman music major earns Young Artist Award
UK freshman music education major Adrianna Dick received the International Trumpet Guild’s Young Artist Award.
Image of SA/VS woodshop coordinator Paul Masterson, SA/VS Professor Rae Goodwin and Robinson Wood Utilization Center Director Daniel Wilson. Photo by Sabrina Hounshell.
Robinson Wood Utilization Center donates mahogany to UK School of Art and Visual Studies students
The University of Kentucky’s Robinson Wood Utilization Center donated 300 board feet of mahogany to the College of Fine Arts, helping SA/VS students complete woodworking projects with high-quality materials at no cost—fostering collaboration and enhancing hands-on learning opportunities.