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Arts and Culture

There is no shortage of ways to enjoy the arts. W&L hosts more than 100 performances each year and is home to several museums and galleries. In town, Lexington supports a thriving artists’ community, while Lime Kiln Theater attracts performers from across the country in a fun outdoor setting.

The Lenfest Center for the Arts

Our performing arts majors are an enthusiastic bunch, but they’re not exclusive. Performance ensembles and opportunities at W&L are open to the entire community, and it’s not uncommon for our students to come to a rehearsal straight from an athletic practice or a lab. The Lenfest Center for the Arts hosts more than 175 performances each year, in addition to countless rehearsals and an ongoing schedule of classes, so there’s always something going on. 

Museum and Galleries

W&L is home to several museums and galleries, with exhibits presented throughout the year. The Art Museum and Galleries, which include the Reeves Museum of Ceramics, the Watson Galleries, and the McCarthy Gallery, promote learning through direct engagement with the collections, foster an interdisciplinary appreciation of art, history, and culture through permanent and rotating exhibitions, and offer students and faculty opportunities for research, internships, employment, and educational programs. The Institutional History Museum and Galleries include University Chapel and Galleries, the Washington Hall Galleries, and the forthcoming Institutional History Museum. Together, the museum and galleries collect, care for, exhibit, and interpret artifacts to help visitors understand the many people and events that shaped Washington and Lee’s history. The Art and Art History Department’s Staniar Gallery is dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary and historical works in all media by regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized artists.  Exhibiting artists spend time in the department conducting critiques, giving lectures and mentoring students. Gallery internships provide students the opportunity to participate in the entire exhibition process by working closely with the Gallery Director and exhibiting artists. Each year graduating seniors in studio art present their senior thesis projects in Staniar Gallery.

W&L boasts an impressive collection of art and artifacts that are available not only for viewing purposes, but also for classroom use. Students use actual pieces of the collection in their lessons and studies, and they also attend exhibits that feature current art objects and visiting artists. The spaces and galleries of Wilson Hall showcase student work year-round. At W&L, there’s never an empty wall.

Off-Campus

The streets of Lexington are home to a number of great art galleries and live music venues. The First Fridays art walks are always worth a visit. Lexington’s Lime Kiln Theater brings more great performances to Lexington each spring and summer in a fabulous outdoor setting, while venues in nearby Charlottesville and Roanoke regularly host big-name performers and acts on tour. 

Is Shakespeare your thing? The American Shakespeare Center is just up the road in Staunton, Virginia. Its Blackfriars Playhouse, a re-creation of Shakespeare’s original indoor Blackfriars Theatre, provides an authentic Elizabethan setting for the variety of performances it hosts throughout the year.