EXHIBITS
The Built Environment: 130 Years of Growth, Development, and Change on the USU Campus: The Arts at Utah State University
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The Arts at Utah State
From its beginnings, USU has fashioned students into well-rounded citizens by not only offering practical training but also liberal education in the arts and music. While instruction in woodworking generally concerned the craft of cabinetry and carpentry, early instructor David Hughes undoubtedly exposed students to the art of sculpture. Similarly, the first dramatic presentation at USU took place in 1895 when faculty, students, and local thespians presented The Galley Slave on the converted Chapel stage of Old Main’s south wing. This panel highlights buildings significant to the production of art here at USU in conjunction with the 2017–2018 Caine College Year of the Artscelebration.
Chase Fine Arts Center (FAC) (1967–)
The FAC stands as a testament to the university’s commitment to the arts and is the crowning achievement of Daryl Chase’s presidency (1954–1968). Chase recognized the importance of the arts but confessed how faculty had “lived the life of academic scavengers—making use of outmoded and rejected structures . . . With the new Center,” Chase acknowledged, “Utah State University answers a pressing need to remove physical handicaps that have fettered the Arts in their mission to strengthen the mind and spirit.” The university complimented the FAC with a Visual Arts Wing in 1981.
Caine Lyric Theatre (1913–)
Built shortly after the 1912 Thatcher Opera House fire, the university acquired the Lyric in 1967, promising the Thatcher Family to restore the venue to its past prominence. It has since become a landmark in Logan’s downtown, serving a half-million patrons during more than 200 productions. The Caine Lyric Theatre also hosts the student-led Lyric Repertory Company.
Caine Performance Hall (2006–)
Named for Kathryn Caine Wanlass and Manon Caine Russell, these enduring patrons of the arts also lent their name and generosity to the Caine College of the Arts in 2010. The Performance Hall, meticulously designed by Sasaki Associates, opened in January 2006. It provides unsurpassed acoustics and an intimate atmosphere for concerts and lectures.
