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Shryock Auditorium hosts world class acts year round.
empty since 2003, when it was donated to the city. Through volunteer labor and financial gifts, the partiallyrenovated Varsity Center reopened in 2008. It is hoped that ongoing restoration and renovation efforts will enable the facility to enable actors, writers, painters, filmmakers, sculptors, dancers and musicians to share their creativity with the region. Live music of all types draws audiences throughout the city to restaurants and clubs. Carbondale Main Street’s Brown Bag Concert series is a popular free lunch-time diversion each Wednesday in May through September. Concert-goers are encouraged to order lunch from a local restaurant or bring their own to enjoy lunch and great music downtown. The organization’s annual Main Street Pig Out combines a barbecue cook-off and live music into a fabulous time. The summer’s annual Sunset Concert Series brings popular music to the SIUC campus and Turley Park for Thursday evening concerts that draw huge audiences. The events are considered by many to be an essential part of summer in Carbondale. Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s contributions to the cultural offerings of the community cannot be overstated. Guest speakers are frequently hosted by many of the University’s departments. The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute regularly hosts presentations by national and international policymakers and observers. McLeod Theater offers both 22
The Varsity Theater originally opened in 1940. After renovations, the theater now hosts live performances.
professional and student-produced plays and musicals. Shryock Auditorium in the center of campus each year hosts a variety of lectures, performances, recitals, concerts and special events. The annual Big Muddy Film Festival showcases a wide variety of independent films from around the world. It is one of the oldest studentrun film festivals in the United States. The University is also home to services, businesses and organizations that assist students and alumni in the sale of the artwork. These groups include Southern Glassworks, the Southern Metalsmith Society, the League of Art and Design and the Graduate Association of Painters and Printmakers. Southern Lights Entertainment is a performance series coordinated by SIUC’s Department of Event Services. The program brings a variety of national entertainers including musicians, comedians, dancers and Broadway performances to Southern Illinois. The SIUC School of Music presents concerts and recitals throughout the year. The school also administers the Southern Illinois Music Festival, a two-week musical extravaganza that celebrates classical music, ballet and jazz throughout the region. SIUC’s Egyptian Suzuki School offers instruction on strings and piano for all ages. Additionally, all Carbondale Elementary School District second graders are provided introductory lessons on the violin. Regardless of the cultural interest, Carbondale has events and activities for everyone.
Several paintings by artist Najjar Abdul-Musawwir hang on the walls in the Carbondale Civic Center.