Creative Arts & Culture
Art from diverse realms
The Harvard University Band entertained attendees at the Office for the Arts’ 50th anniversary celebration held at Sanders Theatre.
Photos by Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer
Office for the Arts commemorates 50 years with narratives, music, dance, poetry, and more
As a freshman, Tiffany Onyeiwu ’25 was thrilled to discover the ceramics studio in the Quincy House lower level. Onyeiwu had always enjoyed art during high school, but opted out of classes in exchange for challenging courses she believed would enhance her college applications. The prospect of creating art again was too enticing to resist.
“As I placed my hand onto a molded mass of clay on the potter’s wheel, creativity ignited,” Onyeiwu recounted to an audience at Sanders Theatre. “Clay was flying everywhere. But ultimately, I discovered my balance and regained control. I danced with the clay in that moment, guiding it, yet also responsive to its rhythm, spinning and moving in a continuous flow.”
Now a joint concentrator in Art, Film & Visual Studies and Social Anthropology, Onyeiwu has dedicated considerable time refining her craft in the Ceramics Program offered by the Office for the Arts (OFA).
President Alan Garber reflected on how his early fascination with photography broadened his horizons.
With backing from the OFA, Maranatha Paul ’26 created a short film.
Theatre Professor Diane Paulus ’88 and Karina Cowperthwaite ’19 examined their aligned professional journeys leading them to the American Repertory Theater.
Actor Courtney Vance ’82 along with his daughter, Bronwyn Vance ’28, shared their personal narratives.
Kate Vandermel ’25 delivered an operatic interpretation of the Harvard College mission statement.
The African dance troupe Omo Naija X Wahala Boys energized the stage with their performance.
Numerous students had analogous experiences to convey at the OFA’s 50th anniversary celebration this month, an occasion filled with narratives and performances in music, dance, poetry, and more. Students, faculty, and alumni took turns reminiscing about their engagement with the arts on campus.
“The OFA embodies a concept and a commitment,” stated Office for the Arts Director Fiona Coffey. “The OFA is a proclamation that the arts are not secondary but essential to a Harvard education. The OFA reaffirms that knowledge and learning originate not only in conventional academic classrooms but also in art studios, music rehearsal spaces, and performance stages.”
Maranatha Paul ’26 expressed his astonishment the first time he encountered Shakespeare’s “Othello” in high school — a pivotal moment that motivated him to earnestly pursue writing. Paul is now an English and Theater, Dance & Mediajoint concentrator, and has participated in student-created theater productions and produced a short film with assistance from OFA funding.
“When you engage with a short story, poem, film, or play, you are, in essence, experiencing an individual’s viewpoint of the world,” Paul remarked. “Not a single person has ever perceived your viewpoint on anything. Who knows who you might inspire or who might be influenced by you. So simply write it, put yourself out there, and observe what unfolds.”
President Alan Garber shared how his youthful fascination with photography blossomed into a passion for films after securing a job at a movie theater during high school, as he saved to purchase a camera.
“I believe that’s what art does for everyone,” Garber reflected. “Once the aperture is opened, it tends to expand, allowing more creativity and various methods, encompassing a broader range of artists. Each experience urges us to perceive and value the world and individuals differently.”
Professor of the Practice of Theatre Diane Paulus ’88 and Karina Cowperthwaite ’19 elaborated on their similar career paths, transitioning from campus theater involvement to the American Repertory Theater. Actor Courtney B. Vance ’82 recounted his beginnings in theater at Harvard, while his daughter Bronwyn Vance ’28 described her journey from initially despising the piano to eventually cherishing it.
The occasion also showcased performances from Harvard Bhangra, African dance group Omo Naija X Wahala Boys, 2023 National Youth Poet Laureate Salome Agbaroji ’27, Mariachi Véritas, among others. Former OFA leaders Jack Megan and Myra Mayman were honored for their guidance, and Kate Vandermel ’25 alongside Henry Wu ’25 presented an operatic interpretation of the Harvard College mission statement on voice and piano.
At the conclusion of the event, Coffey invited attendees who defined themselves as “champions of the arts” to turn on miniature flashlights they had received upon entering. In a heartbeat, Sanders Theatre transformed into a dazzling constellation of flickering lights.
“Creating art emerges from bravery, the bravery to be open, to lay bare your inner self, to acknowledge others and to be acknowledged, to empathize with someone else’s experiences, their voice or perspective, with compassion, openness, and humility,” Coffey advised the students. “Be courageous, exert effort, aspire higher, and allow your light to shine. The world requires more of your light.”