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Co-Editors
Amy Karagiannakis
Mariana Seda (MA ’21 Theatre)
Designer
Natalie Fiol (BA ’10 LAS)
Copy Editor
Anne Jackson
Assistant Dean for Communications & Marketing
Andy Blacker
Associate Dean for Advancement
Jon Salvani (MS ’21 GIES)
Dean Jake Pinholster
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Table of Contents
Honoring the legacy of Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato 4 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 15 |
The Sustainable Design program offers new accelerated master’s pathways
A student organization empowers students through community building and networking
A transformational gift renames Illinois’ premier choir the Meredith Chamber Singers Theatre alumni reflect on their most cherished student memories
Peter Ho (MFA ’79) turns a life of resilience into opportunity for Art & Design students
Uncorked brings local talent and community together on Thursday evenings 18 | 19 | 22 |
Dance at Illinois showcases its artistry in NYC, Washington, DC, and Chicago
A student reflects on the impact of visiting artists from Fukushima
12
Architecture
Art & Design
Dance
Japan House
Krannert Art Museum
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
Landscape Architecture
Music
Sustainable Design
Theatre
Urban & Regional Planning
16
7
Landscape Architecture students explore California’s Lost Coast thanks to alumni support
A Krannert Art Museum exhibition traced the homes and artists shaping midcentury arts in CU
High school students explore arts careers and college life through Summer Intensive
ON THE COVER
A dance film is projected onto the exterior of the historic Erlanger House in Urbana and the surrounding trees. The Erlanger After Dark! event was the culmination of Krannert Art Museum’s exhibition Making Place for the Arts at Home: Performance and Midcentury Modern Architecture, which celebrated local midcentury modern homes designed to be performance spaces. The dance Good House Keep was choreographed by Anna Sapozhnikov and filmed at the Erlanger House and other locations. A community gathering, the event offered family-friendly activities including artmaking, music, and food trucks. The evening’s video production and installation were created by Matt Harsh and Jake Metz. Photo by Fred Zwicky.
Krannert Center marks 20 years of the ELLNORA Guitar Festivals
Industrial Designers advance new paths in accessible design
Grad students reimagine historic buildings through adaptive reuse studio
Alumna Noël Wan (DMA ’19, BMus ’14) redefines the harp through experimental artistry
A Message from DEAN JAKE PINHOLSTER
When I began as dean less than a year ago, I expected to find excellence. What I found was a community in motion—transforming itself, transforming its fields, and transforming the ways creativity connects with the world. In FAA, the arts and design are not side notes to history; they are engines of change, alive in every studio, classroom, and performance space.
We live in a time defined by disruption—climate crisis, social upheaval, economic uncertainty. In such moments, creativity is not a luxury. It is a necessity. Our students, faculty, and alumni are showing what that looks like: designing for accessibility, pushing institutions toward equity, and creating performances and projects that refuse to accept the world as it is. Their work is not only about expression; it is about building new systems, new possibilities, and new ways of living together.
Crucially, this transformation extends to how we engage with communities. FAA is not content to present work to the public from a distance. We are rethinking what it means to create with and alongside others—whether through partnerships with schools and neighborhoods, collaborations with civic organizations, or projects that invite the public into the creative process itself. These efforts are not outreach; they are co-creation. They remind us that the power of the arts lies not only in what we produce but in the relationships we transform along the way.
The stories in this issue of Dimension capture that energy. They reveal how creativity can dismantle barriers, spark justice, and expand who gets to participate in shaping the future. They testify that the arts and design are not simply responding to crisis—they are leading us through it, illuminating paths we could not see before.
Transformation, however, is not the work of a college alone. It is a collective endeavor. It requires students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners all stepping forward, refusing complacency, and insisting that imagination belongs to everyone. I invite you to read these pages—not only as a celebration but as a call to join us in the ongoing work of building a more just, resilient, and creative world.
Accelerating Futures in Sustainable Design
BY MARIANA SEDA
Earning an advanced degree can be a launchpad for careers in arts and design, whether you need the skills and accreditation that comes with a Master of Architecture, or you need the training and industry connections that only an MFA in Acting can provide. Often spanning two or three years, master’s programs demand time and significant financial resources.
The College of Fine and Applied Arts is helping students offset those costs by offering a selection of accelerated graduate programs to students excelling in the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design (BSSD) program, and it is already making an impact. Thanks to the major’s interdisciplinary foundation in the environmental arts, Sustainable Design students can fast track their path to graduate programs, completing coursework that counts toward master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, or Design before even receiving their bachelor’s diploma.
Entering the university as a Division I women’s volleyball athlete and an undeclared major, Sarah Bingham was looking for purpose and passion in her studies. She found that with Sustainable Design. “I’ve always cared about the environment and sustainability,” said Bingham. “But I also care deeply about social equity—and this program has helped me explore how those things intersect.”
In a class project, Bingham worked with Illinois Athletics to tackle the issue of single-use cup waste at campus sporting events. She researched reusable cup programs at other universities and stadiums and proposed a practical solution to reduce landfill impact while considering the human behavior of sports fans.
When she learned about Sustainable Design’s accelerated Master of Urban Planning program, the opportunity was too good to pass up. “It’s a really seamless transition, and I think that’s because Sustainable Design sets us up with a wide breadth of knowledge,” she said. “The five-year programs are such a time saver and having that direct pipeline is really useful.”
In addition to the Urban Planning track, Sustainable Design also offers a Master in Landscape Architecture 4+2 program and a Master of Fine Arts in Design for Responsible Innovation 4+2 program.
Admission to an accelerated program can also boost students’ confidence in themselves.
“Balancing the extra planning coursework alongside my two minors has been challenging, but it’s encouraging to know that by planning strategically and putting in the work, I can achieve substantial results,” said Hruska. Her advice? “If you know you need a master’s for your career, an accelerated program is a smart path because it saves you time, money, and allows you to stay with the same faculty and resources you’re already familiar with.”
For Bingham, the accelerated master’s program is helping her build the advanced skills she’ll need to succeed in a competitive, impact-driven career. “I really want to do work that benefits communities and is thoughtful of both people and the planet,” she said. “Having that extra year of advanced education is going to make me much more prepared for the kind of career I want to have in sustainability and design.”
As a junior she applied for the accelerated BSSD / Master of Urban Planning 4+1 program and was accepted. She spent her last year of undergraduate studies immersed in graduate courses and working on her capstone project.
“The Sustainable Design program is already so interdisciplinary,” explained Bingham. “So, transitioning into graduatelevel work felt natural.”
Similarly, Anna Hruska arrived at Sustainable Design eager to address climate and equity issues through design thinking and a critical theory lens—an ambition that led her to explore what sustainability means, how built environments reflect the systems behind them, and how those systems shape the lives within.
Building Connections & Careers Through Student Leadership
BY MARIANA SEDA
At Illinois, the Student Planning Organization (SPO) plays a central role in shaping the student experience within the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Led by elected student officers, the organization brings together undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in Urban Planning for professional development, networking, and community building.
“SPO is a group where Urban Planning students come together to support each other and get more involved outside the classroom,” explained senior Myra Stevens, who served as previous president of SPO. “We host events like career panels, volunteer days, and fun socials that bring students closer and connect us with the planning world. It’s really about building community while learning more about the field.”
“SPO is the glue between all undergrad, graduate, and PhD students... at each event, connection and community is our focus.”
— JOE HISSEM SPO VICE PRESIDENT
As an offshoot of the American Planning Association, SPO’s programming complements classroom learning by promoting interest in the planning field and creating space for intellectual exchange and collegial connection among students. “The classes teach us the hard skills, and SPO gives us the opportunity to strengthen our soft skills,” shared senior Jack Vonderheide who serves as SPO’s secretary. “That kind of experience helps a lot when you start applying for internships or jobs.”
Another key objective of the group is to serve as the official spokesperson for students in the department. “SPO has a faculty sponsor and direct access to voice opinions at monthly department meetings,” explained junior Joe Hissem, current vice president of SPO. “Here, we raise concerns that the student body has and pitch ideas about how to better improve our education and college experience.”
Their events range from casual trivia nights and end-of-year picnic celebrations, to more professional preparation events like free headshots, internship panels, and firm crawls. Their annual Chicago Firm Crawl brings students to planning firms and government agencies in the city, exposing them to networking that could lead to internships and future employment. “One of my favorite memories was when all ten of us board members coordinated and helped lead 50+ members through Chicago to visit and learn from world-renowned architecture, engineering, and planning firms,” recalled Stevens. “I couldn’t be more proud than to work with this team who cares so dearly about providing the best possible experiences for our members.”
SPO also aims to connect with the broader campus community and the local cities of Urbana and Champaign. One memorable initiative was the group’s PARK(ing) Day project, where members transformed campus parking spaces into temporary public gathering spots. “It was fun, creative, and a great way to connect with the campus community and get them engaged,” said Stevens.
While SPO draws its membership from students in Urban Planning degree programs, the group welcomes students from allied fields as well, like civil engineering, architecture, political science, and beyond. Alongside exceptional faculty and a supportive alumni network, the Student Planning Organization enriches student experiences by building connections and equipping them with the skills they need to become leaders that will shape communities for the better.
Old Towers, New Purpose: Adaptive Reuse in Chicago's Loop
BY THOMAS LESLIE, FAIA
The Consumers and Century Buildings in Chicago’s Loop face a particularly urgent threat. The two early 20th-century skyscrapers are located adjacent to the Everett M. Dirksen Federal Courthouse and were purchased several years ago by the federal government, then vacated because of the potential security threat they posed. Frustrated that the two historic structures were deteriorating, the City of Chicago landmarked them in February 2025. The General Services Administration (GSA) asked developers for proposals to redevelop them but with restrictions to protect the neighboring courthouse.
Our spring 2025 Integrated Design studio proposed renovating the buildings into housing and a hotel. With high commercial vacancies in the wake of the pandemic, there is an opportunity to reimagine office buildings that would otherwise be considered “obsolete.” Our studio looked at how the two buildings could be revitalized while meeting the security needs outlined by the GSA. Student teams, working with preservation students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), used historic blueprints, on-site documentation, and building condition reports to replan the two skyscrapers and a vacant lot in between. Bringing residents and tourists into the heart of downtown is a crucial ingredient in maintaining the Loop’s vitality, so each team proposed entertainment venues that would take advantage of the site’s street frontage and the towers’ unused rooftops. Adding to the challenge, the program asked for a 500-seat ballroom to complement the hotel program, requiring teams to weave this element’s structure into the existing building fabric.
A field trip to Chicago included a morning at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE), a leading preservation and forensic engineering firm in the Loop that has worked on the Consumers and Century Buildings, and tours of active preservation projects in the historic Pittsfield Building, a 1927 tower that posed many of the same challenges. Rachel Will at WJE spoke with students about opportunities for architects in renovation, repair, and rehabilitation of Chicago’s historic skyscrapers, and Ken DeMuth, architect and partner with Pappageorge Haymes, a leading adaptive reuse firm in the city, led our tours.
The American Institute of Architects estimates that roughly 43% of the profession’s work involves renovating or adapting existing buildings to new uses. Developing a studio curriculum around preservation and adaptive reuse helps prepare graduating Architecture students for this important work. Adaptive reuse keeps existing city centers and neighborhoods populated and active, and it is inherently sustainable, spreading the carbon footprint of structures out and gaining additional value out of those buildings for relatively small energy and material investments. Working with existing buildings also gets students used to operating within constraints of real building codes, real technical challenges, and building fabric that is already there.
Reimagining these historic structures requires a different design mindset than working with a blank sheet of paper or a greenfield site—it asks students to study the layout and aesthetic of what’s there and develop the agility and thoughtfulness to realize new ideas within frameworks laid down years ago.
IMAGES
TOP: Students from the Consumers and Century Studio on site in Chicago (Photo by Ken DeMuth); SECOND: Parth Solanki and Siddarth Shah (with Alice Wimbe, SAIC); BOTTOM TWO: Omar Abunnaja and Jasbir Bhamra (with Katrina Lewis, SAIC); RIGHT: Odin Babcock and Deyang Hu (with Zach Waters, SAIC)
SAFEGUARDING THE LOST COAST
BY AMY KARAGIANNAKIS
When Professor Stephen Sears talks about the Lost Coast, his words carry both awe and urgency. “We talk about nature and wilderness and the benefits of ecological systems all the time,” he says. “But the scale of wildlands has to be experienced firsthand to comprehend how small humans seem in comparison, and to understand the enormous footprint humans have made in those places.”
In spring 2024, Sears led ten Landscape Architecture undergraduate and graduate students deep into California’s remote King Range National Conservation Area, the first national public protected wilderness area in the United States. For a week, the group and an experienced local guide hiked the wildest stretch of coastline in the continental U.S., camping in wind and rain, crossing icy creeks, and timing their routes to the tides along the black sand coast. “This is one of the last and largest wildland places on the continent,” Sears said. The Lost Coast trip was the first in a three-workshop series on climate change and its impacts on wildlands.
Students were tasked with witnessing, documenting, and safeguarding the threatened wildlands, producing essays, photographs, and speculative designs for a dwelling that could house a “guardian” to live within and protect the area. The resulting concepts ranged widely—some envisioned guardians focused on research and ecological monitoring, while others imagined
more forceful approaches, including private security forces or drone-assisted patrols. The diversity of ideas reflected not only the students’ creativity but also the complexity of balancing protection, access, and policy in wild places.
Since the studio took place, the country has experienced a political shift that led to significant federal policy changes, including the downsizing of the Department of the Interior and the expansion of logging in national forests. These developments continue to shape the curriculum and classroom conversations. “Landscape architecture contributes to shaping public space,” Sears said. “That means the work is inherently political…it’s good to have an awareness and an engagement in what is happening in our public discourse.”
When asked if he could bring one experience from the Lost Coast to our readers—or even policymakers—Sears was quick to recall a restoration site planted with redwoods twenty years ago.
“The redwood trees are this big around,” he said, holding his hands in a narrow one-inch diameter circle. “And then you see these [old-growth] trees that are 300 feet tall. It takes people...dedicating their careers doing this work for seemingly modest outcomes.” The role of the landscape architect as a steward of the environment can seem daunting in this respect, but the idea that creating something that will outlast one’s lifetime can be a powerful motivator.
The inherent vulnerability of humans in remote, wild landscapes like the Lost Coast was ever apparent. Along certain stretches of beach, there are signs that say, “Never turn your back on the ocean.” This is due to sudden, powerful sneaker waves that have been known to sweep people away without warning. Navigating the coast safely requires an acute awareness of tidal patterns—because what lies ahead six hours from now could determine whether a path is passable or perilous.
For Sears, what made the trip truly remarkable were the students themselves.
“This field trip was perfect,” he shared. “The students were completely resilient. They were flexible, they were stalwart. They climbed mountains with asthma… hiked in the rain and they hiked in the wind…some had never been camping before. And they were amazing. The students and their attitudes and their curiosity and their engagement made it what it was.”
Thanks to robust alumni support, every student traveled at no cost. It is because of the generosity of the department’s alumni and friends that studio trips like this are possible. “We couldn’t do these kinds of studios if students were expected to pay,” expressed Sears. “Because we’re given these opportunities…it’s our obligation to tell people what we discovered, what we experienced.”
"THE STUDENTS WERE COMPLETELY RESILIENT. THEY WERE FLEXIBLE, THEY WERE STALWART."
DISRUPTING THE HARP
BY AMY KARAGIANNAKIS
Noël Wan’s artistic path is shaped by both a deep musical fluency and a zeal for reimagining what the harp can be. A dual-degree alumna of the University of Illinois School of Music (DMA ’19, BMus ’14), she has ascended the international stage as a prize-winning classical harpist, an electroacoustic experimentalist, and a scholar deeply engaged in feminist theory and cultural inquiry. While her early career is filled with traditional milestones—Gold Medal at the 2022 USA International Harp Competition, solo performances from Carnegie Hall to Taipei—Wan now finds herself pushing the harp into radical new territory.
And sometimes, that territory sounds more like a machine shop than a concert hall.
Earlier this year, Wan performed on a sculptural instrument made from two salvaged car doors at Arizona State University’s Expanded Media Lab (ExMeLab). Created by transdisciplinary artist Tra Bouscaren, The Angel of Death installation reimagined the harp as industrial wreckage, its tangled strings offering little acoustic resonance but endless sonic possibility.
“It looked nothing like a harp and couldn’t be played like one,” Wan recalls. “I really had to lean into the noise potential…slapping the strings to create boom-y clusters, letting strings clang into each other, and creating eerie microtonal pitch bends.” Improvisation, distortion, and broken strings all became part of the performance.
This willingness to engage with the unpredictable is central to Wan’s current musical identity. Working under the experimental moniker The Mother’s Teeth, she blends feminist theory, sonic exploration, and linguistic play. “The name comes from a multilayered inside joke between me and my husband,” she says, tracing it back to the French title for Jaws Les dents de la mer—and a cheeky poststructural remix: Les dents de la mère (The Mother’s Teeth). “I wanted to play with the idea of these beautiful, angelic harpists going totally feral,” she says. “But more ‘terrifying and weird’ and less ‘sexy girls gone wild.’”
Wan’s shift to electroacoustic harp has been more than stylistic—it’s been existential. “It feels like the harp and I grew up together,” she
Photo by Tra Bouscaren.
says. “So, in many ways, my whole outlook on life has been shaped by the harp and classical music.”
Yet learning the electroacoustic version has demanded a kind of unlearning: letting go of classical ideals like complexity and virtuosity in favor of texture, time, and timbre. “Sometimes I only use a few strings,” she says. “The tighter the box, the more creative you have to be.”
That ethos infuses not just her music but her teaching. Now an assistant professor of harp and entrepreneurship at Florida State University, Wan challenges students to reframe what music-making means in a shifting cultural and economic landscape.
“The core of entrepreneurship is something much more conceptual: it’s bringing a new idea to life,” she explains. “It’s the creativity that propels innovations, and it’s the drive that turns those innovative concepts into real practices.”
Her students learn the basics— branding, marketing, funding—but are also encouraged to ask deeper questions. What does music do in the world? And who is it for?
Wan would like to see more institutions embrace interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic research. “Performance programs are often run like conservatories, which are vocational in nature,” she says. Instead, she imagines creative labs populated by students and faculty from across disciplines, tackling experimental music projects and community-engaged work. “Labs shift the focus from mastering skills to creating novel applications for those skills,” she says, “which is exactly my approach to entrepreneurship.”
That forward momentum shows no sign of slowing. Wan is already eyeing new artistic frontiers. One dream project is a “little chapel tour” performing experimental drone sets in empty roadside churches across the rural United States. Another is research into alternative music economies inspired by the work of theorists Brian Massumi and Erin Manning. “There are unsustainable financial issues with all three traditional paths for musicians,” Wan notes. “Are there other ways that our music-making can generate income? That’s what I’m hoping to figure out.”
Yet for all her boundary pushing, Wan remains grounded in a deep sense of purpose.
“As a performer and thinker, I hope to be remembered for doing work that was ahead of its time,” she says. “Work that expands the notion of what a musician can be, and work that makes people see and care for the world differently.”
If that legacy sounds ambitious, that’s because it is. But for Noël Wan, the harp is no longer just an instrument of refinement—it’s a tool for cultural transformation.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH NOËL WAN at go.illinois.edu/NoelWan or scan the QR code.
BY AMY KARAGIANNAKIS
Thanks to a generous gift from the Meredith Foundation, the University of Illinois Chamber Singers—the School of Music’s premier choral ensemble—has been renamed the Meredith Chamber Singers. The gift, made possible through Paul Yarrington, the son of alumnus Maurice Melvin Meredith (MA ’38, BA ’36), fulfills the mission of the foundation to “nurture the soul through music,” with a particular emphasis on choral performance.
New Voice Professor Alonza Lawrence spent years immersed in classical training at the academy while singing gospel in his church and community. Now he is working towards bridging Afrocentric and Eurocentric musical traditions in hopes of establishing a gospel emphasis for all performance students at the School of Music.
READ THE FULL STORY at go.illinois. edu/Alonza or scan the QR code.
“This is not just a gift—it’s a transformational investment in the future of our choral program,” said Dr. Andrea Solya, director of choral activities. “For the first time in decades, we were able to take our top choir on tour without asking students to pay out of pocket. Everyone could participate. That’s never happened before.”
The Meredith Chamber Singers performed across Chicago, reaching high schools and cathedrals, representing Illinois with artistry and pride. The endowment also enables long-term planning and commissioned works—hallmarks of elite choral programs.
This naming is also a first for the School of Music. While spaces and buildings have been named in the past, no choir or ensemble at Illinois has ever received such an honor. The Meredith Chamber Singers mark a new chapter in how philanthropy can shape the student experience and elevate artistic excellence.
“My father believed deeply in the power of music,” said Yarrington. “He wasn’t a performer, but music brought him joy, and he wanted that joy to be accessible to others.”
The Meredith Chamber Singers now stand as a living tribute to one man’s belief in the transformative power of music and to the students whose voices carry that vision forward. If you are interested in learning more about naming opportunities at the School of Music, please contact David Allen at allend@illinois.edu
MEREDITH CHAMBER SINGERS: NURTURING THE SOUL THROUGH MUSIC
Scripted INTO MEMORY
BY MARIANA SEDA
For more than 60 years, Illinois Theatre has brought unforgettable performances to life—on Krannert Center stages, in the Armory Free Theatre, across Champaign-Urbana, and beyond. But for many, it’s not just the productions they remember. It’s the friendships forged backstage, the mentorship that shaped them, and the quiet moments of discovery that linger long after the final curtain. We asked alumni to share the memories that stayed with them.
Here’s what they said:
“John Ahart directed Romeo and Juliet…and I was cast as Friar Laurence. One night a tornado knocked the power out at Krannert Center. The audience was advised by our stage manager to stay in their seats while candles were collected from props storage, lighted, spread around the stage, and, along with the emergency lights, illuminated the performance. I still have the letter each company member received from the dean commending the performance!”
RICHARD BURK (MFA ’80 ACTING)
READ MORE ALUMNI MEMORIES AND ARCHIVAL CITATIONS at go.illinois.edu/scripted or scan the QR code.
Friar Laurence (Richard Burk) marries Romeo (Alan Ruck) and Juliet (Carol F. Kaiser) in an Illinois Theatre 1979 production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Courtesy of the University of Illinois Archives.
J.K CURRY (BFA ’85)
“As someone who has spent her career as a professor teaching theatre history and dramatic literature and directing plays, Dr. Bob Graves had the biggest impact on my career path. But one hands-on production experience I recall fondly was running wardrobe for Shozo Sato’s production of Kabuki Medea. There was a lot to learn about how to care for the costumes and help actors properly secure their kimonos. I also remember carefully resewing the princess’s trick robe before every performance so that when the silk cords were pulled, the robe would unfold, revealing beautiful painted flames and creating the effect of bursting into flame. The inventive theatricality of the staging, using Kabuki techniques to retell a classic of Western theatre, was eye-opening to me. That we got to take a spring break trip to Florida to tour the production also made it a memorable college experience.”
MARTY DUBIN (BFA ’10 ACTING)
“First day of freshman year, 8:30 a.m. In walks a woman whose energy filled a room big enough for opera rehearsals and, without a word or even a stern glance, commanded the silence and attention of 26 teenagers. And one of the first things Lisa Gaye Dixon said to us was ‘You all better brush your teeth and wash your ass.’ The excitement and dread were deliciously palpable, and I knew we were in good hands.”
GREGORY CARR (MFA ’90)
“The performance that was the most memorable for me was South African playwright Athol Fugard’s "Master Harold"… and the Boys. I played Sam, a Black South African man. Carl Barnett played Sam’s friend Willie, and Craig Rising played Hally, the entitled White South African teen. The show was already intense because of its brutal portrayal of apartheid South Africa. Before the show began, a classmate ran into my dressing room and shouted, ‘Greg! Nelson Mandela has been released from prison! Isn’t that good news?’ I replied, ‘Nelson Mandela might be free tonight, but South Africa still isn’t free from apartheid.’ That night’s performance was supercharged because of the news about Mandela. Performing in this production not only was satisfying as an actor but inspired me to pursue social justice issues in my work as an artist.”
MARIANNE SAVELL (MFA ’97 ACTING)
“Every production and class were meaningful and important in building my artistry, and I’m so grateful. The first role that came to mind was Alexandra in O Pioneers! by Kim Daryl Sherman and Darrah Cloud. The character aged from 16 to 40 and was in nearly every scene. I had to learn a Swedish accent, play my first lead in grad school, and lean heavily into my imagination. It was a joyful and rich experience. Tom Mitchell was the director, and he enlisted members of the U of I orchestra to play live onstage with the actors for each performance.”
A newspaper clipping showing an image of Illinois Theatre’s 1990 production of “Master Harold”…and the Boys by Athol Fugard. Image courtesy of Gregory Carr.
Production image from O Pioneers! by Darrah Cloud and Kim D. Sherman, adapted from the novel by Willa Cather. Image courtesy of Marianne Savell.
Costumes from a production of Kabuki Medea (circa 1983–85) designed by Shozo Sato and constructed by the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Sousa Archives and Center for American Music.
Photos by Jennifer Girard.
Making Place for the Arts at Home
BY MARIANA SEDA
Krannert Art Museum featured an exhibition highlighting the history of arts experimentation and performance through the lens of emergent architecture and university culture during the 1940s–1990s in the cities of Urbana and Champaign. Making Place for the Arts at Home: Performance and Midcentury Modern Architecture foregrounded, as case studies, four local houses designed by university-affiliated architects who played key roles in the development of midcentury modern architecture and aesthetics both locally and beyond, and whose buildings were part of a larger avant-garde exploration pushing the boundaries of artistic production in sound, dance, theatre, and more.
The exhibition showcased the modernist homes of three Architecture professors with potent connections to the arts: A. Richard Williams, Jack Baker, and John Replinger. Their designs—the Dot and John Replinger Home and Studio, the Jack Baker Loft and Studio, the Dick Williams House and Studio, and the Erlanger House (which Baker designed with and for dance professor Margaret Erlanger)—served as artistic laboratories for creativity and performance in the mid-to-late 20th century, often hosting artist gatherings, lectures, and dance performances on lofted stages and cozy sunken living rooms.
Falling somewhere between an art show and a history exhibit, Making Place for the Arts at Home wove together creative works with the lived experiences and narratives of its moment. Kathryn Holliday, faculty with the School of Architecture and one of the exhibition curators, worked with students to investigate the history of the four homes as well as to uncover the lesser-known histories of how neighborhoods in Champaign-Urbana were developed in the post-World War II suburban boom. “For me, as an architectural historian, the initial focus is a house,” she said. “But that house is much more interesting if you’re thinking about who lives here, how it got built, what is the neighborhood’s story, and what else was happening at the same time. Why did someone hire this unconventional architect to build them this amazing home? And in the case of these houses, it’s because people were connected to the arts in various ways.”
The opening section of the exhibition, researched by David Hays, curator and head of the Department of Landscape Architecture, hosted an archival display about the University of Illinois Festival of Contemporary Arts. This student- and faculty-led series of visual, performing, environmental, and literary arts events and exhibitions grew exponentially during the years it flourished (1948–1974), eventually overflowing into nontraditional spaces like the homes of faculty and community members. This shift simultaneously fed into, and came of, houses like the ones featured in the exhibition.
In addition to architectural drawings, 3D models, and historical photos of the houses, the exhibition also showed site-specific artwork like a dance filmed at Erlanger House and an elegant metal sculpture representing movement and expression that Shozo Sato, artist, professor, and founder of Japan House, created for his friend Margaret Erlanger. Also on display, a massive woven tapestry, Sante-Chapelle, by Dot Replinger (a prolific artist in her own right) emphasized bold colors and texture that countered the minimalism of the midcentury aesthetic.
In a map created by student Adeline Evans, museum guests could take a bird’s-eye view to the cities and find key homes built by notable architects over time. Champaign-Urbana Neighborhood Stories, a student-led project that emerged from a course taught by Holliday, unveiled how university expansion and racial housing restrictions shaped distinct experiences for white and Black families, blocking African Americans from accessing certain neighborhoods. “People found this part of the project very illuminating,” shared Holliday. “It expands people’s thinking about how the American suburban explosion in the 1950s and ’60s—the ‘American Dream’—was really uneven here. And the version of the story on the north end is really different from the version of the story in the neighborhoods where these architects are designing and building. And a lot of the inequity that had to do with structural racism and lack of access to capital persists.” The project is ongoing, inviting community members to visit the Champaign County Restrictive Covenants Project to uncover and remove any discriminatory language that may still hide in their property documents.
To complement this timely exhibition, the museum partnered with campus and community groups on a series of events that embodied the spirit of these homes. Highlights included a museum performance of Good House Keep, a dance piece choreographed by Anna Sapozhnikov and later projected onto the facade of Erlanger House during the exhibition’s culminating celebration, Erlanger After Dark!. Sapozhnikov, faculty with the Department of Dance, created the work as a reflection on the role of women in the midcentury home. A community story circle invited artists, neighbors, and students to share memories of how modernist art took root and shaped Champaign-Urbana. The museum also hosted a panel on historic preservation with the Champaign County History Museum and sold out tours of four midcentury homes in Champaign-Urbana, including Erlanger House and Jack Baker Loft.
What started out as an exhibition morphed into a resurgent moment for the community. “This exhibition really connected with many people in the community who saw themselves in the show, whether their neighborhood was represented, or they had been to a house, or they knew that artist,” said Holliday. “There is just something about it that connects with our local space perhaps more than other exhibitions at the museum.”
Making Place for the Arts at Home reminded us that homes can be more than places to eat and sleep—they can become cultural havens for creativity, expression, and shared ideas. By highlighting gaps in the historical record, especially the overlooked stories of marginalized communities, it also reminds us of our shared responsibility to keep building a fuller, more inclusive history and future.
Making Place for the Arts at Home: Performance and Midcentury Modern Architecture was on exhibition from January 30–July 12, 2025. It was curated by David Hays, Professor and Brenton H. and Jean B. Wadsworth Head, Department of Landscape Architecture; Kathryn Holliday, Randall J. Biallas Professor of Historic Preservation and American Architectural History, School of Architecture; Phillip Kalantzis-Cope; Jeffery S. Poss, Professor Emeritus, School of Architecture; and Jon L. Seydl, Krannert Art Museum Director. More information, video tours of the houses, and exhibition resources can be found at kam.illinois.edu/midcentury
IMAGES
Top: Dance performance of Good House Keep choreographed by Anna Sapozhnikov at Krannert Art Museum. Photo by Natalie Fiol.
Middle Left: Room in the Jack Baker Loft and Studio in Champaign. Photo by Solomon Baer.
Bottom left: Courtyard of the Pallachutheril Residence in Champaign during the Midcentury Modern Homes Tour. Photo by Evelyn C. Shapiro.
Middle right: Room in the Jack Baker Loft and Studio in Champaign. Photo by Rachel Lauren Storm.
Bottom right: Midcentury Modern Architecture Preservation Panel Discussion at Krannert Art Museum. Photo by Rachel Lauren Storm.
Rooted in Gratitude, Given in Joy
BY AMY KARAGIANNAKIS
For Peter Ho (MFA ’79 Industrial Design), giving back to the University of Illinois School of Art and Design is a gesture of gratitude and a tribute to the transformative power of education and perseverance.
Born in mainland China in 1944, Peter’s early life was shaped by dramatic upheaval. His family, once wealthy landowners, lost everything in 1949 during the Communist revolution. They fled to Hong Kong where life became a daily struggle. “We had to survive. That’s why I’ve been skinny all my life—skin and bone,” recalled Peter.
Despite these hardships, Peter completed high school, and following in his father’s footsteps, as is Chinese tradition, started work in the banking industry. Having a little savings set aside at that point, he began taking evening art and design classes, where he met a man who had studied in America. This changed the trajectory of his life. Peter shared, “I sent my portfolio to the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), and they accepted me. I can’t believe it—they accepted me. Four years scholarship, free.”
That moment changed everything. Following his undergraduate studies at CCAD, it was recommended to him that he reach out to Professor Ed Zagorski at the University of Illinois. Peter was offered a teaching assistantship while pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Industrial Design at the School of Art and Design. While at Illinois, he found a community that challenged and nurtured his creativity.
After graduating in 1979, Peter moved to Chicago and worked very briefly for a design consulting firm. By pure chance at the Consumer Electronic Show, he met the owner of RJP Electronics. The Hong Kong manufacturer was eager to establish a sales office, Computrex Inc. in Evanston, and entrusted Peter to run it. After running the Computrex office for many years and retiring, Peter became a selftaught investor and found great success in the stock market. His investments helped him build lasting financial stability. Decades later, he was able to give back to the School of Art and Design by establishing
an endowment fund that will support scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. Peter shared, “The Chinese have a saying, ‘When you receive help from somebody, you remember it for a thousand years.’”
Peter recounted that Professor Leo Buscaglia once said, “Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions, and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, ‘Did you bring joy?’ The second was, ‘Did you find joy?’” Peter later discovered that Buscaglia had made this up, but it inspired him, nonetheless. He continues to bring joy to everyone he meets, whether in the form of a snack, a piece of candy, or a much needed hundred-dollar bill. “I feel fortunate I can share.” Peter lives in Chicago with his lifelong companion Ken Peterson.
His planned gift—rooted in resilience, generosity, and gratitude—will certainly bring joy and shape new opportunities for future Illinois Art and Design students. If you would like to learn more about Peter Ho’s scholarship fund or are interested in establishing a named scholarship yourself, contact Senior Director of Advancement Brenda Nardi at bnardi@illinois.edu
Legacy
In Memory
PROFESSOR EMERITUS SHOZO SATO
Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato lived an extraordinary 91 years, leaving a long legacy of achievements and accomplishments. His extensive teaching career of Japanese arts and aesthetics touched generations of students, and his productions of kabuki Shakespeare, chado (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (Japanese flower arranging), sumi-e (Japanese ink paintings), and shodo (Japanese calligraphy) continue to be enjoyed in the memory of visitors.
Originally coming to Illinois as a visiting artist-in-residence at Krannert Center in 1964, he recognized the need for cultural arts education to build cultural bridges and committed the rest of his life to teaching in the United States. His tenacity and vision for teaching Japanese arts and culture started the original Japan House
at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign. From a converted Victorian house on Lincoln and California, Japan House continued to thrive and expand into the current building established in 1998 under the direction of Kimiko Gunji.
His generosity and support of the Japan House, along with his wife Alice Ogura Sato and brother-in-law Dr. George Ogura, led to the OguraSato Annex project to build additional teaching space, an accessible tearoom, and much needed storage space. Sensei Sato envisioned the addition of the Ogura-Sato Annex to support the growth of Japan House’s mission. For over 60 years, Japan House has been dedicated to fostering cultural understanding, offering new perspectives, and providing a space where visitors can experience tranquility. We hope his memory can continue to be honored and shared through Japan House and its mission to share traditional Japanese arts and culture.
If you would like to make a gift in memory of Shozo Sato to support the Ogura-Sato Annex, you can do so at go.illinois.edu/give More about Sato sensei’s life and legacy can be read by visiting go.illinois.edu/shozo
PROFESSOR OF THEATRE LATRELLE
Beloved mentor and teacher, creative inspiration, esteemed collaborator, and community galvanizer, Professor Latrelle Bright connected and uplifted so many in the ChampaignUrbana and university communities. As a stage director and educator, she profoundly affected students with her generous guidance and bold, creative leadership. Through her work in the department and in the community, she sowed deep-rooted and vibrant connections and sparked creative and social alliances that will endure and continue to flourish.
Bright’s celebrated Theatre productions include Kate Hamill’s Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really; Jen Silverman’s Witch; Lynn Nottage’s Sweat; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time based on Mark Haddon’s novel; and Cabaret (a co-production with Lyric Theatre
BRIGHT
and Dance); among many others. As an educator, she worked to expand the available courses in the Theatre Studies program and was a tireless advocate for her students. She strongly advocated for new work development programs and had special interest in developing new work connecting social justice and the environment, particularly at the intersection of Black lives, and worked with theatres and institutions to develop her methods of co-creation.
Latrelle passed away after a brief illness in September and was honored at a celebration of life in late October at the Arboretum and Krannert Center. She had a profound and lasting impact on the Champaign-Urbana theatrical communities, and nearly all who worked within those communities were touched by her efforts.
The Latrelle Bright Memorial Scholarship Fund supports scholarships for undergraduate students in the Illinois Theatre acting program with financial need. If you would like to make a gift in memory of Professor Bright, visit go.illinois.edu/LatrelleBright
CreativeDiscoveringFutures at Summer Intensive
BY MARIANA SEDA
Every summer, the college’s High School Summer Intensive brings together a select group of high school students from across the country to explore the arts. This weeklong, immersive program offers students the opportunity to work directly with U of I faculty to hone skills in theatre, dance, design, and artmaking. Along with professional training, the program gives students a real-world experience of what it is like to study at the College of Fine and Applied Arts at a world-class university.
In addition to daily classes in their designated track, students also have the opportunity to work with faculty one on one for portfolio feedback and audition preparation, setting them up for a more successful college application process. For some, the Summer Intensive is their first chance to practice being independently responsible while in a safe and supervised environment.
For dance alum Tessa Olson (BFA ’25), the High School Summer Intensive was the start of a powerful journey towards a professional career as an artist.
“My journey with Dance at Illinois started before I was even a student. I went to the High School Summer Intensive the summer after my sophomore year in 2018. My high school dance teacher, who’s an alum, offered me a scholarship, and I thought, ‘Why not? It’s only a week. I’ll try this.’ It was my first sleepaway experience. I didn’t really have expectations; I just knew I was going to dance.
“That week opened my eyes to so many kinds of people and dance styles. I took hip-hop formally for the first time and got called out to dance a combination in front of everyone. I remember how confident that made me feel, and how excited I was to finally get to explore different ways of moving my body. I also worked on a modern dance piece by another Dance alum Raheim White (BFA ’11) and that was one of the first times I felt like I could express myself in a more sensual, autonomous way. It cemented that dance was something I really wanted to do.
“When I started looking at colleges, the dance program at the U of I stood out because I felt like I’d get individual attention and be challenged, and I knew I’d be accepted as myself. That gave me the courage to choose a big public university, even though that wasn’t where I initially thought I would end up.
“Coming back as a counselor for the Summer Intensive in 2024 was a full circle moment. Sharing my experience as a queer artist pursuing dance seriously and professionally was empowering, and it was awesome to see the high schoolers open up about their identities and see themselves in ways that maybe they hadn’t before. I hope this program continues to thrive, and I really hope more students are offered scholarships so they can have the same opportunity I had.”
RAISING THE BARRE : HOW DANCE AT ILLINOIS IS TAKING THE NATIONAL STAGE
BY AMY KARAGIANNAKIS
From student performances in New York City and Washington, DC, to an alumni concert in Chicago, Dance at Illinois continues to make a name for itself. This past academic year, students, faculty, and alumni performed on some of the nation’s most prominent stages, cementing the department’s growing national visibility, all made possible through the generosity of alumni and donors.
Last fall, alums of Dance at Illinois—once called “a hot bed of choreographic innovation” by The New York Times writer Siobhan Burke—traveled to Chicago to present original works at Links Hall. The result was two vibrant nights of alumni performances on November 1–2, 2024, partially funded by the Beverly Blossom and Carey Erickson Alumni Award Fund This fund honors the legacy of the late Carey Erickson (BFA ’72 Dance) and his mentor, longtime Dance faculty member Beverly Blossom. Richard Erickson (BS ’75 Civil Engineering) established the fund in honor of his brother Carey.
In the spring, current students traveled to New York City to perform at The Joyce Theater as part of the biennial University Partners Showcase produced by the Martha Graham Dance Company
Their performance of José Limón’s The Winged on April 5, 2025, reconstructed by Professor Roxane D’Orléans Juste, was first performed during the department’s October Dance concert at Krannert Center. This opportunity was made possible through a generous gift from alumna Fernadina Chan (MA ’72 Dance).
A trailblazer in arts education and founding artistic dean of Boston Arts Academy, Chan received her MA in Dance from Illinois. Her Fernadina Chan No Debt for Dancers Fund was established to help make arts education more affordable. José Limón deeply influenced Chan’s own career and inspired her to become a dancer. She traveled from Boston to attend the Joyce performance and was able to meet Jeremiah Jordan, the 2024–25 recipient of her named scholarship. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “Watching these amazing young dancers capture the spirit of Limón’s work brought me such joy. It was the most refreshing and inspiring concert I’ve seen in a long time. Jeremiah is a remarkably multifaceted young man, and I’m so happy to have seen him dance. I look forward to experiencing his own work in the future.”
Earlier this year, faculty member Rachel Rizzuto and her cast were selected to perform Martha and Hanya and Doris and Charles at the American College Dance Association’s National College Dance Festival, held May 2–4, 2025, at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The festival highlights outstanding work from college dance programs across the country. Their trip was supported in part by donors to the department’s Production and Enrichment Fund.
As Dance at Illinois looks ahead, Department Head Sara Hook is enthusiastic about what’s to come. “Our next project is the Black on Black: Celebration of Black Dance season featuring a work by the mother of Black Dance the legendary Katherine Dunham. Dunham’s work has never been performed by an academic department, so this represents another first,” she said, emphasizing the importance of the continued role of alumni and donor support in expanding the reach of Dance at Illinois.
The Winged, choreographed by José Limón, restaged by Roxane D’Orléans Juste. Photo by Natalie Fiol.
A Living Legacy:
Reflections on Traditional Japanese Art at the Japan House Spring Open House
BY ADITI KHANDELWAL (BFA GRAPHIC DESIGN ’ 27)
As someone deeply passionate about traditional art, I often find myself wondering whether it still holds space in our fast-paced, technology driven world. Do people still practice and pursue traditional crafts? Are these art forms still recognized, respected, and celebrated? And if I choose to follow a more traditional path, can I truly succeed?
These questions found beautiful answers during my visit to the Japan House Spring Open House, which featured a group of extraordinary visiting artists from Fukushima. The experience offered more than just a glimpse into traditional Japanese art—it reaffirmed my belief in the enduring power and relevance of these time-honored practices.
Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by Japan House staff dressed in soft, pastel-colored kimonos. The space itself was enchanting—paper flowers delicately suspended from the ceiling created an atmosphere of serenity and reverence. As I took my seat for the artist presentations, I felt a quiet sense of anticipation.
The first speaker Seiran Chiba is an internationally acclaimed large-scale calligraphy artist and teacher. Chiba-san’s art is a profound exploration of emotional expression through ink. What struck me most was her resilience: having survived the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, she continued her practice with unwavering dedication. Her journey is a powerful reminder that no matter the hardships, be it natural disasters or personal struggles, art can endure and even flourish. Her story proved a testament to the unbreakable bond between artist and medium.
Ayako Hirai, a lacquer craftswoman and kintsugi specialist, cofounded an independent lacquer studio with her husband in 2016. Hirai-san’s presentation revealed the strength behind patience and precision. The traditional process of extracting and refining urushi (Japanese lacquer) is painstaking and meticulous, yet she approaches it with calm dedication. From her, I learned that artistry is not just about creation—it is about discipline, care, and an intimate understanding of the materials at hand.
The final speaker Akie Hashimoto practices the traditional art of hariko (handmade Japanese papier-mâché). After six years as a hariko artist, she joined her family’s folk craft business, continuing to create works such as Tsurushi-bina Hariko, which are delicate hanging strands of paper dolls. Through her, I discovered the value of iteration and persistence. Hashimoto-san’s process involves repeated refinements, reinforcing the idea that the path to artistic fulfillment often lies in embracing the time and effort it takes to create something truly meaningful.
While each artist brought a unique perspective and medium, they collectively imparted lessons that will stay with me. Most importantly, they reaffirmed that traditional art is not only alive but thriving. In an age of AI-generated images and digital immediacy, there are still artists who pour their time, love, and humanity into ink, paper, and wood—who uphold patience, expertise, and resilience as sacred values.
When asked if she had advice for aspiring young artists, Seiran Chiba offered a simple yet profound piece of wisdom: “Hold on to your hopes.” That sentiment continues to resonate with me. As I left Japan House that day, I carried with me more than admiration for traditional Japanese art—I carried hope. Hope that these practices will continue to inspire, evolve, and endure. And hope that I, too, can be part of their future.
The Kogei: Traditional Arts and Crafts of Fukushima, Japan project was supported by the Japan Foundation New York through the U.S.-Japan Community Grassroots Exchange Program and the Illinois Arts Council. Seiran Chiba, the Fukushima Cultural Ambassador and frequent visiting artist to Japan House, was also supported by the Center for Advanced Study as a George A. Miller Visiting Artist.
“hold on to your hopes”
Accessible Design, the Forefront of Innovation
BY MARIANA SEDA
Meet ElectroGlide, a motorized, electric attachment for wheelchairs that can provide dynamic auxiliary force according to user input.
From safety labels to search bars, prescriptions to prosthetics, the blueprint for design has long mirrored a single figure: white, adult, male, and fully mobile. But when we design for everybody—all shapes, needs, and abilities—our world improves. Take the curb cut, born here at the University of Illinois for wheelchair users, now a global revolution for strollers, walkers, and all kinds of movers.
At the School of Art and Design, the Industrial Design program is home to thinkers and makers reimagining access. Faculty and students alike are forging new paths in accessible design, shaping objects, environments, and systems where inclusion is built in from the beginning.
HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN IN MOTION
To say that Industrial Design students Shuoning (Stone) Shi and Yuheng (Leo) Wang have had a banner year would be an understatement. The two first teamed up in 2024 during the Illinois Design Challenge (IDC), a three-day engineering and design hackathon where students were asked to design a transportation device with social impact.
Their resulting design ElectroGlide was born from Stone’s friendship with a wheelchair athlete who valued the strength and independence of a manual chair but occasionally needed a boost while healing or navigating tough terrain. Their solution: a motorized attachment equipped with speed, gravity, and nearinfrared sensors that detect when a push falls below a set threshold, then quietly lends a hand.
“I’m grateful to my friend Philip, who is a wheelchair athlete,” said Stone. “Spending time with him made me realize that there are many needs in this area requiring more human-centered designs. We need to move beyond preconceived notions and genuinely consider the experiences of others.”
After winning first place at IDC 2024, the team refined the idea, creating multiple prototypes with improvements, and tested it extensively with wheelchair users to ensure compatibility with a wide range of wheelchair models. Ultimately, ElectroGlide received several highly competitive international awards including the 2025 iF Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, and the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA).
HEALING BY DESIGN
As the director of the (dis)Ability Design Studio at the Beckman Institute, Industrial Design Professor Deana McDonagh collaborates with clinicians, scientists, and people with disabilities in a think tank environment that helps bring to life tools, mainstream products, and spaces designed to solve everyday challenges with function and dignity guiding the way.
Working with cross-campus collaborators, the studio has developed a range of innovations, including a sleek, hands-free, omni-directional chair, designed to be more transportable than a wheelchair and less visually stigmatizing. “If we design for the extreme users in our community, like wheelchair users and the aging population,” explained McDonagh, “then we build in design integrity, and the wider population can benefit.”
She’s also designing a fully accessible aging-in-place home that fuses architecture, sensory design, and independence. “So many aging-in-place solutions are ugly,” she said. “They scream, ‘You’re declining.’ I want to design things that whisper, ‘You still belong here.’”
The home will be both a testbed and sanctuary—a space that makes its residents feel seen, not managed.
That same philosophy carries into a surgical tool she’s codeveloping with a surgeon and a student. It’s designed not just for accuracy, but to respond to the way it feels in the hand under pressure. “We’re not just thinking about function,” she emphasized. “We’re thinking about how it behaves under stress.”
For McDonagh, this highlights the unique work of human-centered, empathic design. “It’s so rare that a surgeon, a student, and a designer sit at the same table. But that’s where the magic happens—when expertise meets curiosity meets empathy.”
A 3D spectrogram of bat echolocations.
Uncorked: BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH MUSIC
BY SEAN KUTZKO
It’s a warm Thursday summer evening on campus, and a few hundred people are enjoying a beverage and cheese platter in the Krannert Center lobby as they listen to the Kurt Reeder ORGANization, a jazz quintet that plays songs from the masters of the jazz organ like Jimmy Smith and Joey DeFranceso. This is Krannert Center Uncorked, a free concert series on many Thursdays throughout the year, which aims to provide a showcase for central Illinois musicians of many genres.
Krannert Center has long established itself as a premier performance space for international performing artists, hosting world-class orchestras, dance ensembles, and theatre troupes for over half a century. In the early 2000s, as part of their mission to encourage “…public engagement through the pursuit of excellence and innovation in the performing arts,” Krannert Center launched their Uncorked series at Stage 5 in their lobby to expand their offerings to local musicians and help bring the community together.
“When I arrived at Krannert Center, I saw a need for the Champaign-Urbana community to be able to experience Krannert Center in a less formal way,” Director Mike Ross said. “We hosted some occasional wine tasting events to start which is where the name Uncorked came from. These events were without music at first, but it wasn’t long before we added that essential element. And it was important to bring in local artists from across our community to give musicians another place to perform as well as introduce our growing audience to forms of music they might not explore otherwise, be it bluegrass or jazz or something else entirely. This led to the creation of the lobby’s Stage 5. Krannert Center Uncorked has grown into a vibrant social and musical event, like a free Thursday happy hour where everyone is welcome and creative conversations can flow.”
The community—and the musicians—have taken notice.
“I love performing at Uncorked,” pianist and organist Reeder explained between sets. “As a professional freelance musician, performing at the cultural center of gravity in Champaign-Urbana, there’s a built-in audience, and it’s rare that the Uncorked events are not well attended. Performers need an audience, and Uncorked certainly delivers in that regard. Besides, they have a Steinway B piano available for my acoustic performances. That’s a world-class instrument, and most places I perform simply can’t offer an instrument of that caliber.”
School of Music Professor Pete ‘Afro D’ Shungu, a trumpeter, rapper, and member of several local bands, agrees. “Stage 5 is such an important space at Krannert because it feels community focused and less exclusive than other Krannert spaces. In my experience, Stage 5 events, like Krannert Uncorked, do a good job of providing a stage for local musicians to showcase their music. It’s a much more accessible space, open to the public and foot traffic and just has a positive vibe.”
Through Uncorked, relationships with other venues and organizations in town have blossomed, including the Urbana Folk and Roots Festival and the Champaign-Urbana Jazz Festival. Krannert Center now hosts “opening night” performances at Stage 5 for both multi-day festivals. “These events have been a joy over the years,” said Carrie Chandler, cofounder of the Bashful Youngens and one of the booking managers at the Rose Bowl Tavern, another local music venue. “The Folk and Roots festival kick-off parties are a wonderful collaboration with the university community and its offerings.”
Charlie Harris, co-owner of the Rose Bowl Tavern and a multi-instrumentalist in several groups, agrees with Chandler. “Krannert Center and the Rose Bowl have collaborated on several special events, such as an after-party for ELLNORA,” Krannert’s biennial guitar festival. “That was a great way we worked together to activate both venues and create excitement throughout the entire community.”
Photo by Anna Longworth.
Photo by Anna Longworth.
Photo by Sean Kutzko.
Photo by Anna Longworth.
Several Uncorked events have been in partnership with Illinois Soul, a Black-focused station that began broadcasting two years ago as part of Illinois Public Media. “Our partnership with Krannert Center has been an incredible 360 win not only for Illinois Soul and Krannert but also for the central Illinois Black communities,” Station Manager Jill Clements said. “This partnership is very intentional in providing a welcoming space that features high quality R&B performances that truly amplify Black voices, culture, and experiences.”
A core tenet of Krannert Center’s mission is to build community through transformative experiences found in the performing arts. Sometimes those experiences come from a symphony; sometimes they come from enjoying a beverage with friends while listening to a local singer-songwriter. Uncorked will continue to be a key part of Krannert Center’s mission this season on select Thursdays from 5:30–7 p.m. The Uncorked schedule is updated regularly on the events calendar at KrannertCenter.com
ELLNORA CELEBRATES 20 YEARS!
Krannert Center hosted its 11th biennial Guitar Festival this past September, marking 20 years of ELLNORA. The festival featured artists from across the guitar diaspora, including Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame artist Rosanne Cash, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, classical artist extraordinaire Sharon Isbin, and a return visit from hard-hitting blues-rock phenom Samantha Fish.
Free performances included jazz legends Dave Holland and John Scofield, gritty blues-funk from Grace Bowers and the Hodge Podge, and a Deadhead extravaganza from BERTHA: Grateful Drag. ELLNORA will return in 2027.
Photo by Tiana Webb.
210B Architecture Building, MC-622
Reimagining what the arts at Illinois can be through bold vision, community participation, and collective investment in our future.
Transform is more than a fundraising campaign. It is a movement to invest in what matters most: creativity, community, and impact. Together, we will support projects that bring artists and communities into lasting partnership, expand scholarships for students who lead through creativity and social change, and grow our capacity for innovation across every discipline in the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
