How F&M Does the Arts

At F&M, you can apprentice as a director or write an original play that will be fully produced and performed. The annual Student New Works Festival features original plays by F&M students, designed and staged by faculty with high production values.

Have you ever wanted to curate a library exhibit? F&M students spent a semester studying and analyzing texts, learning theoretical terms to open up genres such as tragedies, poetry, and novels, and using their new knowledge to write about the tragedies, poetry, and novels they love. The class then collaborated with Lancaster Public Library to curate a display of the texts they studied. To accompany the display, students designed bookmarks to share their insights of their recommended reads.

F&M's music program offers many instrumental or choral ensembles. By participating, you’ll not only enjoy extraordinary artistic opportunities each semester, but develop an appreciation of the creative endeavor related to music and musical performance. The music department also offers solo and concerto competitions for singers and instrumentalists, music composition contests, senior recitals, and opportunities for students to conduct an orchestral arrangement.

F&M's music program offers many instrumental or choral ensembles. By participating, you’ll not only enjoy extraordinary artistic opportunities each semester, but develop an appreciation of the creative endeavor related to music and musical performance. The music department also offers solo and concerto competitions for singers and instrumentalists, music composition contests, senior recitals, and opportunities for students to conduct an orchestral arrangement.

F&M art history students are actively engaged in hands-on learning and have extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research. As a student with an interest in art history, you can also turn to the Phillips Museum to study curatorial practices or even curate an exhibition working with F&M’s collection of art and objects under the direction of College faculty and museum staff.

F&M art history students are actively engaged in hands-on learning and have extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research. As a student with an interest in art history, you can also turn to the Phillips Museum to study curatorial practices or even curate an exhibition working with F&M’s collection of art and objects under the direction of College faculty and museum staff.

Each year, F&M dance students find exciting opportunities to step on F&M’s Schnader Theatre stage for the fall and spring dance concerts. The Fall Dance Concert is a popular event featuring choreography by F&M faculty and guest artists in a range of styles. The Spring Dance Concert features student choreography, and offers the opportunity for both performance and choreography.

Each year, F&M dance students find exciting opportunities to step on F&M’s Schnader Theatre stage for the fall and spring dance concerts. The Fall Dance Concert is a popular event featuring choreography by F&M faculty and guest artists in a range of styles. The Spring Dance Concert features student choreography, and offers the opportunity for both performance and choreography.

At F&M, you can see what your art looks like in a real gallery. Each spring semester, F&M holds a student art show juried by a local guest artist, featuring works by all F&M students. Student work is also often exhibited in F&M’s Winter Visual Arts Center, the Shadek-Fackenthal Library, and the Phillips Museum of Art.

At F&M, you can see what your art looks like in a real gallery. Each spring semester, F&M holds a student art show juried by a local guest artist, featuring works by all F&M students. Student work is also often exhibited in F&M’s Winter Visual Arts Center, the Shadek-Fackenthal Library, and the Phillips Museum of Art.

F&M film students have extraordinary opportunities to bring their visions to life on screen. Students have created short films, animations, fiction films, and more. Each September, Film and Media curates a program of exceptional films created in film classes from the previous year. Film and Media also hosts the Senior Film Showcase, for which students create a short film and present their work to the campus community in the Weis-Laiks Cinema, a state-of-the-art cinema in the Winter Visual Arts Center.

Each year, F&M holds impressive theatrical performances designed and directed by theatre faculty members with a cast and crew of students selected by audition. You can enjoy incredible opportunities to step on stage and perform, as well as work behind the scenes with props, scenic design, sound, costumes, and more. You’ll also collaborate with accomplished professionals in the industry, including your talented professors; professional musicians, composers, dramaturgs, and more; and guest artists including Broadway stage managers and professional designers.

A hallmark literary tradition on campus, the Emerging Writers Festival is a three-day event that invites the country’s most exciting emerging authors to F&M to host readings, craft talks, and writing workshops. An Emerging Writers Festival student organizing committee is formed each year, offering students hands-on experience in bringing a literary festival to life. Two students are assigned as "shadows" for each writer, tasked with coordinating visits and handling audience introductions prior to readings.

A hallmark literary tradition on campus, the Emerging Writers Festival is a three-day event that invites the country’s most exciting emerging authors to F&M to host readings, craft talks, and writing workshops. An Emerging Writers Festival student organizing committee is formed each year, offering students hands-on experience in bringing a literary festival to life. Two students are assigned as "shadows" for each writer, tasked with coordinating visits and handling audience introductions prior to readings.

As an art student at F&M, you'll develop your natural artistic talent and hone your technical skill in an intellectually captivating liberal arts environment. You'll explore a vast range of artistic media, create art in a diverse range of spaces, and uncover how art inextricably links individuals around the world.

The inaugural Gleaners Film Festival at F&M in 2022 — which featured director John Waters — offered students hands-on experience learning what it takes to launch a film festival. Student responsibilities included coordinating print traffic, or the transit of the films (whether they're physical prints or digital files) to the festival, operating the screening projectors, publicity, and contacting festival sponsors.

Franklin & Marshall also offers four a cappella groups that bring together Diplomats from various majors who share a love of music. These groups often perform for the College community, including at True Blue Weekend and Common Hour.