ASU Cultural Affairs Change the future with
Connecting communities through transformative experiences
ASU Cultural Affairs: Where arts ignite change, build connections and inspire futures.
Guided by its mission of Connecting Communities™, ASU Cultural Affairs makes a lasting impact in the Valley of the Sun and worldwide by bringing transformative events to life. Encompassing ASU Gammage, ASU Kerr and ASU 365 Community Union, our programs go beyond arts and entertainment — they challenge perspectives, spark critical conversations and nurture diverse expressions.
“Students in a wide range of fields — including medicine, law and the arts — find a home in ASU Cultural Affairs,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, vice president for cultural affairs for Arizona State University and executive director of ASU Gammage. “Their exposure to culture enriches their academic lives and connects them to their community in meaningful ways.”
We impact students and members of the public alike, honoring ASU’s charter by taking responsibility for the cultural health of the communities
we serve. By partnering with creative minds on campus, throughout Arizona and around the world, we cultivate inspiration and connection across a broad audience.
“ASU Cultural Affairs manages such a wide variety of cultural spaces and events that our work is accessible nearly everywhere,” says Henry Terrazas, director of ASU 365 Community Union. “You can bring five people or 55,000 people to our events because we work with partners around the world and have so many touchpoints.”
Your support empowers us to deliver powerful performances and programs, making thought-provoking art accessible. Through Changing Futures®, we’ll preserve our cherished performance spaces and offer innovative arts programs that engage more people, bridge cultural divides and nurture well-being. Together, we can create a vibrant, connected future strengthened by the arts.
At Mountain America Stadium, ASU Cultural Affairs builds creative programming for the communities it serves in the areas of music, sports, culture, education, food and wellness.
ASU Kerr and ASU Gammage are architectural landmarks that continue to inspire audiences and artists.
Preserving iconic venues
Our legendary arts spaces enrich our cultural landscape.
ASU Gammage is the largest university-based performing arts presenter in the country. More than mere buildings, ASU Gammage is a sweeping, organic ode to Arizona’s desert landscape that stands as Frank Lloyd Wright’s final architectural masterpiece, while ASU Kerr showcases Southwestern design with handcrafted adobe bricks and wooden beams that deliver distinctive acoustics. People come from around the world to see these timeless structures, which bring communities together through Broadway shows, contemporary theater, concerts, educational events, lectures and public events.
Investments in preserving our historic performing arts venues allow us to improve their accessibility, functionality and comfort so they can continue to spark creativity in our students and serve as cultural beacons for generations to come.
“The legacy of our performance venues is built on the unwavering support of our community,” says JenningsRoggensack. “Every building enhancement we make is a testament to donors who recognize their importance to ASU’s future, our students and our broader community.”
Celebrating diverse voices
The Beyond Series embodies ASU Cultural Affairs’ core values: We value inclusive excellence and individuality, and we are passionate about our work.
The Beyond Series honors underrepresented identities and histories through a wide range of artistic genres.
For nearly three decades, the Beyond Series has fostered global awareness and cultural connections by elevating the voices of world-class contemporary artists who use dance, theater and music to share powerful narratives.
Through past works like Voices of Valor, sharing the inspiring journeys of Latino World War II veterans, we’ve honored stories that deeply resonate with audiences and connected students with artists that awaken their potential.
“I’ll never forget community members approaching us after Voices of Valor to say in tears, ‘You just told my grandfather’s story,’” says Michael Reed, senior director of programs and organizational initiatives at ASU Gammage. “And with every residency, our artists engage with the university directly — teaching on campus, offering students career advice and partnering with local groups — fulfilling our mission of Connecting CommunitiesTM and living out our university commitment to inclusion.”
Through the Beyond Series, talented artists have enriched ASU with over 8,000 free educational events such as masterclasses, open rehearsals and artist residencies, providing invaluable learning experiences for students, faculty and the community. Philanthropic support has extended this impact further, connecting diverse communities with celebrated art through reduced ticket prices.
The integration of augmented and virtual reality marks the next frontier. These technologies will make it possible for ASU to reach artists and audiences worldwide — presenting orchestral performances with musicians playing simultaneously from many different countries, offering immersive media experiences that mimic otherworldly environments and bringing high-impact performances to people in remote areas.
The work that we ASU Gammage our charter of inclusion.
we have done at
underscores inclusion.
—Colleen Jennings-Roggensack ASU Vice President for Cultural Affairs
Executive Director of ASU Gammage
Art for all ages
ASU Gammage’s Cultural Participation programs address the need for performing arts exposure for children and adults of all ages. Studies show that exposure to the arts supports the development of cognitive, social-emotional and multisensory skills with K-12 students, while a study by E.P. Block showed frequent participation in performing arts is associated with mental health among young adults.
Many children will have their first live arts experience and first visit to a college campus through one of our programs. Several K-12 Cultural Participation programs utilize state-approved arts curriculum, and all programs offer exposure to performing artists and arts educators from around the world, as well as opportunities to perform in schools and on the ASU Gammage stage through Camp Broadway, School to Work and other programs.
The ASU Gammage Disney Musicals in Schools program collaborates with under-resourced elementary schools throughout Arizona to establish lasting musical theater programs. By providing necessary resources, we unleash the potential of tomorrow’s game changers. Participating teachers and families have witnessed significant improvements in students’ reading and communication skills as they engage in their first musicals. This initiative fosters supportive communities that build students’ confidence for years to come.
ASU Gammage Cultural
Participation programs create access for children and adults of all economic circumstances to community arts programs, world-class artists and innovative academic learning tools.
Support ASU Cultural Affairs and shape a better future
Support our iconic venues, one-of-a-kind performances and innovative technologies so we can build strong communities through the arts.
Philanthropic support for ASU Cultural Affairs creates impact at ASU and far beyond in the communities we serve.
Change futures by supporting
Transform global education Empower community resilience
Many people face social isolation and lack opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives. Through campus and community partnerships, ASU Cultural Affairs cocreates inclusive programs, such as the annual ASU Pow Wow, artist-led masterclasses and the Journey Home initiative for inmates at Maricopa County Estrella Jail. These enrich lives, foster connections and open minds to a wide variety of different experiences.
ASU’s historic performing arts venues are preeminent cultural gathering places that face the challenge of staying accessible, relevant and well-maintained as they mature in a changing world. By preserving ASU Gammage and ASU Kerr, we will equip these beloved spaces to continue offering diverse arts programming that strengthens community bonds, fosters resilience and provides vital cultural experiences for future generations.
In a time of growing cultural divides, communities often lack opportunities to engage in meaningful, crosscultural dialogue. The Beyond Series is ready to bring together its three decades of exceptional performances with new, cutting-edge ideas and technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality to positively impact more students and community members. Through hosting innovative productions that make engaging art more accessible than ever, we’ll connect communities, bridge differences and create accessible, shared experiences that foster understanding and inspire positive change.
Cultural Affairs
Build the future of health
Limited access to the arts and rising mental health challenges mean students are missing out on vital social-emotional growth and creative development. ASU Gammage’s Cultural Participation programs bring transformative arts experiences into communities, inviting learners of all ages to nurture their creative potential and build skills including resilience, empathy and global awareness through engagement with the performing arts.
Innovative solutions that foster mental wellness, cultural engagement and resilient social bonds are essential to building strong communities in Arizona and beyond. Unrestricted gifts to ASU Cultural Affairs provide flexibility that enables us to develop and expand transformative programs in real time, creating immediate access to the arts and impactful cultural experiences that promote lifelong well-being and global connections.
Inspire tomorrow’s game changers
With a growing emphasis on sustainable arts funding and leadership that reflects diverse perspectives, ASU’s self-sustaining model faces new opportunities and challenges in securing its innovative future. Endowing the chair for the Vice President for Cultural Affairs and Executive Director of ASU Gammage will provide essential, lasting support to ASU to continue driving cultural impact and attracting top talent in arts leadership, reinforcing ASU’s role in shaping the next generation of arts advocates who influence communities worldwide.
About us
ASU Cultural Affairs is comprised of three units: ASU Gammage, ASU 365 Community Union and ASU Kerr. Through the mission of Connecting Communities® ASU Cultural Affairs makes an impact across the Valley of the Sun through the arts, entertainment, education and events.
ASU Charter
ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.