Literary, Performing, Visual, and Media Arts
San Francisco State University offers unparalleled opportunities for students to experience and participate in the literary, performing, visual and media arts as part of the curriculum. Through Creative State Presents — the College of Liberal & Creative Arts’ presenting organization — students gain practical experience in all avenues of the arts by producing and starring in events open to the general public.
Each semester, Creative State Presents features an innovative program of events and exhibitions showcasing the immense talent among students and faculty in the literary, visual, media and performing arts. Presentations include recitals, concerts, plays and operas, poetry readings, dance productions, exhibitions, film and video screenings, symposia, lectures, workshops, master classes and many collaborations with professionals.
Student-produced radio and television programs are broadcast on Bay Area cable and online from the college’s studios. Student work in Art, Film and Design and Industry is on exhibit throughout the year. The Fine Arts Gallery showcases two professional and two student exhibitions each year, the former often featuring rarely seen work by a diverse range of well-known artists. Students in the Exhibition Design class are responsible for installing and promoting all Fine Arts Gallery shows. Theatre Arts produces two main-stage plays each semester, in addition to smaller productions on a thrust stage and weekly lunchtime productions of the Brown Bag Theatre Company, performed in a black-box space.
Regularly scheduled music recitals and concerts feature students and world-class guest artists, some made possible, in part, through a gift provided by the May Treat Morrison Chamber Music Foundation. Each June, the college is host to the Irving M. Klein International String Competition. The Poetry Center, housed in the Creative Writing Department, hosts readings and workshops with renowned writers and translators throughout the year.
Creative State Presents serves as the most diverse and vital catalyst for artistic creativity and career success in Northern California. The majority of the public events come from eight academic programs: Art, Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts, Cinema, Creative Writing, Dance, Design and Industry, Music and Theatre Arts. Special facilities include five theatres and concert halls, two art galleries, radio and television studios, dance studios, computer laboratories, an electronic music laboratory, a film shooting stage, an automatic dialog replacement studio, Foley and other post-production areas.
Most events are admission-free. For ticketed events, discounts for students, senior citizens, faculty and staff are available. For more information, visit the Creative State Presents website (http://creativestate.sfsu.edu) or call the Box Office at (415) 338-2467
The University unveiled designs in 2011 for the Mashouf Performing Arts Center, a 242,150-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that will transform creative arts education and performing arts at SF State and throughout the region. The center will house Theatre Arts, Music, Dance and Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts, while keeping SF State on the forefront of creative education and the performing arts.
