students performing on stage

Friends of the Arts

Through initiatives to support scholarship opportunities, academic programming, and presenting world-class artists to the campus and community, the ĢƵ Friends of the Arts raise funds for the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts to enhance student experience and engagement.

$3.2m
FUNDS RAISED
$269K
ENDOWMENTS
64
SCHOLARSHIPS

Explore the Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts

student presenting their work to faculty
Our faculty bring to the studio and classroom a commitment to the process of innovation and skill building as well as a wide range of experience as makers, collaborators, and researchers.
students performing on stage with their instruments
ĢƵ's School of Music provides student musicians with academic, performance, and recording experiences that prepare them for careers in the profession.
student working on a film set
The School of Stage and Screen values storytelling as the primary tie that binds us all together, not only as educators and learners, but humanity as a whole.
artwork on wall
We believe you have limitless creative potential. So we foster an environment that enables you to bring it forth.
exterior shot of the bardo arts center
Bardo Arts Center at ĢƵ is your cultural catalyst for the creative arts. Blaze artistic trails with our world-class performances and innovative contemporary art exhibitions.

 

Visit the Bardo Arts Center

See below for additional information about how to contact the Bardo Arts Center and make your plans to visit campus for an upcoming arts event. 

Bardo Arts Center
199 Centennial Drive  
Cullowhee, NC 28723 
Phone: 828.227.2479 
Fax: 828.227.7632

ĢƵFine Art Museum Hours
Tuesday: 10AM - 4PM
Wednesday: 10AM - 4PM 
Thursday: 10AM - 7PM
Friday: 10AM - 4PM
OPEN ONE HOUR PRIOR TO TICKETED PERFORMANCES
FREE ADMISSION | FREE PARKING 
828.227.3591

ĢƵFine Art Museum

Box Office Hours
Tuesday: 10AM - 4PM
Wednesday: 10AM - 4PM 
Thursday: 10AM - 7PM 
Friday: 10AM - 4PM
OPEN ONE HOUR PRIOR TO TICKETED PERFORMANCES
FREE PARKING
828.227.2479 

Performance Hall

Purchase Tickets

Visit to learn more.

Directions: For , follow this link. The John W. Bardo Arts Center can be found under the "Academics" tab on the interactive online campus map

Parking: There are a variety of parking options available for the Bardo Arts Center (BAC). Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to BAC and in any parking lot on campus. There are seven (7) handicapped parking spaces are available on a first come, first serve basis. Passengers may also be dropped off and picked up at the entrance to the performance hall at any time by drivers circling BAC's parking lot.

 

Where to Eat: Enjoy a wide variety of dining options on campus with or visit the web sites for local dining possibilities.

Where to Stay: Visit the web site for a full listing of lodging possibilities in the area.

 

Belcher College Stories

“Feeding the Island”
A faceless woman in vibrant dress. A swaddled child at her back. A basket full of yaniqueques, a favorite snack of the Dominican Republic, balanced atop her head. Zoila Carrasco’s “Feeding the Island” is a story in stoneware, an artist’s journey toward self-love amidst generational memories and food anxiety.
ĢƵart student awarded first place in national ceramics exhibition
A faceless woman in vibrant dress. A swaddled child at her back. A basket full of yaniqueques, a favorite snack of the Dominican Republic, balanced atop her head. Zoila Carrasco’s “Feeding the Island” is a story in stoneware, an artist’s journey toward self-love amidst generational memories and food anxiety.
ĢƵart student awarded first place in national ceramics exhibition's Story
During the fall 2025 semester, 30 interior design juniors from ĢƵ’s School of Art and Design (SOAD) embarked on an experience that extended well beyond the classroom, offering hands-on, real-world design and research opportunities through a collaborative design charette with Auburn University.
Students from WCU, Auburn collaborate in design charette
Students from WCU, Auburn collaborate in design charette's Story

Over the past 13 years, the Friends of the Arts have impacted the lives of thousands of young artists and transformed their lives!

Through the generosity of its members, the students of the Belcher College have been able to develop their talents and artistic skills by making art, music, theatre, film, and dance from their first day on campus. They take advantage of unique learning opportunities collaborating and studying with outstanding faculty who are all professional artist practitioners and scholars. And thanks to the FOA, these talented young artists work with world class guest artists, exploring the world near and far through their art. 

Moreover, we bring that world to Cullowhee to share with our community through the artists and exhibitions presented in the Bardo Art Center, thanks to the support of the Friends of the Arts.

More ĢƵStories