ArtsX is grateful for the support of the Ohio Arts Council, and through it the National Endowment for the Arts, The Ethnic Cultural Arts Program, BGSU's Arts programs the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Provost's Office.
The ArtsX mission is to showcase to the public the high level of achievement and creativity demonstrated by the students and faculty in the programs of visual, literary, and performing arts at Bowling Green State University. ArtsX is faculty- and student-driven. It enables student and faculty artists to interact with and educate the public through collaboration across the arts. It provides valuable experience in arts advocacy for volunteers and performers. In expanded programming, ArtsX also introduces its guest artists to the K-12 students of Bowling Green through performances and workshops right in the schools. As an event that is open to all, ArtsX promotes awareness of the arts’ positive impact on the lives and economy of the people living in Northwest Ohio and the community of students at Bowling Green State University.
View the ArtsX 2021 Video Here
Goals and Objectives
- Create awareness for the arts in as broad a demographic as possible for the Northwest Ohio region.
- Foster collaboration between the various arts-related programs at BGSU.
- Showcase the facilities in both the Wolfe Center and the Fine Arts Center, and their abilities to catalyze the creative process.
- Enable the public to experience a wide variety of art-making activities.
- Provide a venue for students to showcase and find audiences for their work
ArtsX 2021
ArtsX History
The Arts Extravaganza (ArtsX) is in its sixteenth year. It began as an open-house event at the Fine Arts Center to showcase the work of the faculty and students in the School of Art at Bowling Green State University. As the event gained a following, musical and dance performances were added, and the planning committee expanded to encompass the arts university wide—the School of Art, the College of Music, the Department of Theatre and Film, Dance, and the Creative Writing Program. Other contributing departments and programs are University Libraries and the Arts Village Learning Community. ArtsX has also included Architecture, Interior Design, and other areas that have arts touchstones. Student organization involvement at the extravaganza grew, filling the Fine Arts Center. The opening of BGSU's Wolfe Center added performance and exhibition space, enabling larger installations and performances of Visiting Artists.
As the event expanded, an annual theme was instituted, beginning with Carnivale in 2012 and Wonderland in 2013. Highlights included the Holiday Xtravaganza! concert in 2013, as well as Cinema Optique, in which the 250 feet of the Wolfe Center exterior wall were transformed into a 3D-Projection-Mapped architectural wonder. 2014’s internationally known visiting artist Erwin Redl celebrated a Year of Light. In 2015, BGSU alumnus Mr. Marvel showcased Extraordinary Possibilities. 2016 saw the return of Erin Garber-Pearson and Montana Miller, aerial storytellers familiar to Northwest Ohio, for Volanti: Seeking Unknown Heights. Guests were encouraged in 2017 to Make Believe with MadCap Puppet Theatre, in 2018 to "Let the Arts Move You" with Verb Ballets, and in 2019 to Experience the Magic with Stuart MacDonald.
While ArtsX is several times the size of its original version, it remains a grassroots-style event produced by a cadre of BGSU faculty and student volunteers. The event has increase collaboration among the arts on campus, in turn raising the arts’ profile at the university and within the community.
Updated: 01/29/2022 11:46AM