Case Western Reserve University, Advocate and Patron of the Arts

1997 Special Citation for Distinguished Service to the Arts

Support for the arts should be a priority at any university. At Case Western Reserve University, it is an enduring commitment. Through its patronage of visual and performing artists and inventive educational programs, CWRU encourages wide appreciation for aesthetics and champions the pursuit of creative excellence.

For stunning examples of CWRU’s commitment to the arts, one need look no further than its Putnam Sculpture Collection, 25 works by regional and international masters that grace the university’s buildings and grounds. During a 1987 commemoration of a breakthrough experiment in physics conducted 100 years earlier by two eminent members of the university’s faculty, CWRU illuminated the world of science and technology with new musical pieces, light-responsive sculpture, dance and poetry premieres, and inspiring student competitions.

The university’s educational programs elevate the arts by stressing collaboration as well as individual expression. Students at all levels work with such partners as the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Cleveland Play House.

CWRU is also home to a public gallery, several musical ensembles, active theater and dance companies, and a vigorous community of writers. Poet Hart Crane, a former denizen of University Circle, might have been celebrating the university’s dedication to the arts when he wrote, “Witness now this trust!”