Dayton Daily News: Wright State ArtsGala transforms campus with art, performance

Decorative floral arrangements filled the main hall, echoing this year’s “Creative Garden” theme. The besuited and the bedazzled mingled during the reception in anticipation of student performances in dance, music, theatre and film.

On the upper level, a troupe of trumpeters delivered intermittent fanfare ahead of the opening ceremony, while a percussion ensemble echoed through Schuster Hall.

“I’m always thrilled and excited to be here at ArtsGala, because it highlights the very best of what our Wright State students are,” said Susan Edwards, president of Wright State. “They’re incredibly talented. They’re incredibly hardworking. And I would say I put them up against anyone, anywhere in the profession, any day.”

Between remarks, the audience was given a sampling of the night’s talent, with brief pieces of music and dance. As the ceremony concluded, a speaker turned to the crowd with a simple invitation: “Let the gala begin.”

More than 300 students in the fine and performing arts contributed to the evening, with performances and exhibitions staged throughout the Creative Arts Center’s labyrinth-like layout. Visual artists — sculptors, painters and illustrators — worked from stations across the building, bringing pieces to life in real time. Film and photography students hosted interactive lighting demonstrations and a UV exposure booth, while musical theatre performers, instrumentalists and contemporary dancers rotated through cabaret-style showcases.

Each performance space and gallery featured catered fare, offering guests a fine dining experience alongside the art. From start to finish, there was always something to watch, admire, drink or eat.

Since 2000, ArtsGala has raised nearly $4 million and provided more than 2,500 scholarships to fine and performing arts students. Proceeds from tickets, donations and the silent auction in Stein Galleries directly support future Wright State students.

Amid the constant movement between galleries and performance spaces, art appeared in unexpected places. In one corner, a student worked steadily on an oil painting as guests paused to watch its progress. In another, a sculpture — strikingly, a nose — drew curious onlookers. A pop-up barbershop quartet harmonized seemingly out of nowhere, while elsewhere, a big band jazz ensemble played a Benny Goodman tune in a Manhattan-style club setting.

In the Festival Playhouse, highlights from the Broadway musical “1776” showcased student work in costumes, lighting, set design and sound. In the Herbst Theatre, the jukebox revue “Back to the ‘80s” revived acid-washed jeans and rolled blazers, set against a CRT television flickering with tinsel static and oversized Rubik’s Cubes.

Upstairs, Stein Galleries hosted the 2026 Senior Thesis and ArtsGala Scholarship Exhibitions, offering a direct look at the impact of the evening’s fundraising.

“Tuition is still the number one reason students are unable to attend college in this day and age,” Edwards said. “We really are focused on providing our students with opportunities so that they can fulfill their dreams.”

The sun faded through the building’s skylights, the gala settled into an elegant evening rhythm. Attendees futilely attempted to sample everything on the menu — both figuratively and literally — even with multiple showtimes. The sheer range of artists, performers, photographers and filmmakers was nothing short of inspiring.

Support remains critical for emerging artists. In that sense, the future is bright.

Read the story at daytondailynews.com.