Arts and Cultural Events

School of Art

Arts and Journalism Building | The Ned and Gloria Griner Gallery of Art | Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass

With more than 57,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classrooms and studio space, the School of Art is centrally located on campus within the Art and Journalism Building. The school’s Ned and Gloria Griner Art Gallery is a high-profile space for students, faculty, and visiting artists to showcase their work on the first floor near the Ball State Bookstore and the building’s main elevator and staircase.

Every year, nationally and internationally recognized artists, designers, and scholars are invited to share their distinct practices and voices. Faculty facilitate opportunities for students and the public to engage with the artists and scholars through lectures, screenings, performances, readings, conversations, studio critiques, and workshops.

Charles W. Brown Planetarium 

The Charles W. Brown Planetarium at Ball State University lets visitors experience the night sky as they have never seen it before. The planetarium is an immersive theatre where state-of-the-art technology transforms the 52-foot dome into a simulation of the night sky as seen from earth and from space. For example, the audience can “fly” through Saturn’s rings, land on Mars, or travel to distant stars and galaxies. Learn more.

David Owsley Museum of Art

The David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) houses a world art collection of more than 11,000 works representing all seven continents. DOMA balances exciting interdisciplinary art exhibitions with engaging displays of the permanent collection in an educational environment that serves both the University and the east central Indiana region. Learn more.

Spring 2025 Special Exhibition:
People and Places 1873-2000: A Selection of Photographs from DOMA’s Collection
On view February 20 through May 23, 2025
Guest curator: Ronn Brown

Born in Portland, Indiana, Ronn Brown followed a career path as a photographer for the television and film industry to Hollywood, California. This exhibition displays images from the history of photography that focus on capturing the subject’s personality through gesture, facial expression, and setting. Featured photographers include Margaret Bourke-White, Imogen Cunningham, Lotte Jacobi, Philippe Halsman, and John Coplans. Brown’s selections not only indicate the impact that these photographers had on his work, but also provide a new generation of student photographers, videographers, and artists—as well as the general public—with a catalyst for creativity.

Emens Auditorium

John R. Emens, who served as Ball State University’s sixth president from 1945–1968, had a dream. He envisioned a campus of the future, complete with an auditorium large enough to house most college functions as well as major symphonies, Broadway productions, ballets, and other entertainment for Muncie and east central Indiana audiences. Learn more.

John J Pruis Hall

John J Pruis Hall is a 600-seat capacity venue used for a variety of Ball State functions including classes, convocations, freshman orientation, conferences, speakers, performing arts, and films. Learn more.

Sursa Hall

Sursa Performance Hall is located within the Music Instruction Building, home for Ball State’s music performance and music media production programs. The building is a stunning physical space and technological wonderland with nearly 10,000 square feet of recording studio space in addition to rehearsal rooms, two state-of-the-art performance halls, and numerous teaching studios.

Theatre and Dance

University, Strother, and Cave Theatres | Korsgaard Dance Studio

Intimate and powerful evenings of theatre await audiences within University Theatre. These productions showcase the talents of Ball State’s Department of Theatre and Dance by using simple, imaginative scenic pieces and costuming and emphasizing the immediacy of the actor/audience relationship. The 396-seat performance theatre showcases lighting and sound technical equipment. Strother Theatre hosts experimental, intense, and provocative performances while Cave Theatre features "bare-bones" workshop productions.

Korsgaard Dance Studio (KDS) is a versatile venue with adjustable bleachers, black curtains, and a small light grid so space can be used for classes, rehearsals, and performances.