Backstage Pass
The Center for the Arts blog offers a closer look at the people, ideas, and work behind our performances, exhibitions, and engagement programs. Through peeks behind the scenes, stories from artist and student perspectives, and reflections on access and impact, this space invites readers to see how creative experiences come to life and why they matter.
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An Unexpected Audience, a Shared Experience: Isidore String Quartet Visits Bland Correctional CenterA Center for the Arts residency extended beyond the concert hall, bringing live classical music to an audience with limited access to the arts.
Date: Nov 03, 2026 - -
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For Virginia Tech Percussion Professor, New Commission Has Personal ResonanceVirginia Tech percussion professor Annie Stevens shares a decades-long connection with composer Michael Burritt, whose newly commissioned work will be performed by Taiwan's Ju Percussion Group.
Date: Oct 21, 2026 - -
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From Backstage to the Backcountry: Five Favorite Local HikesWhen the stage lights go down, these two head outside: Center for the Arts production staff members and avid hikers Laine Goerner and Kyle Gavell share five of their favorite places to get outside and explore in and around the New River Valley.
Date: Oct 01, 2026 - -
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Son, Danzón, Timba, and More: A Listener’s Guide to the Sounds of CubaGet to know the sounds and rhythms that span generations of Cuban music before Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars take the stage.
Date: Sep 29, 2026 - -
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Take Your Drink to Your Seat!A new reusable cup program means you can sip your beer, wine, or other beverage from your seat during performances at the Center for the Arts. Here’s how it works!
Date: Sep 10, 2026 - -
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Wait, Do I Clap Now? A Guide to Applause at Classical Music PerformancesWhen do you clap at a classical concert, and why does everyone wait between movements?: Learn the traditions behind applause and how to know when the moment is right.
Date: Aug 26, 2026 - -
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Trauma, Healing, and the Ties That BindThis essay places Guadalupe Maravilla’s work within the intertwined histories of El Salvador and the U.S.: Exploring migration, trauma, and displacement alongside Indigenous traditions of knowledge and healing.
Date: Aug 25, 2026 - -
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From Appalachia to Louisiana, Follow the FiddleCedric Watson's music is rooted in the Cajun and Creole traditions of southwest Louisiana.: But listen closely and some of the sounds may feel surprisingly familiar.
Date: Aug 14, 2026 - -
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Step Inside the CubeInside the Center for the Arts is one of the world's most unique performance spaces — the Cube: It looks like a black box theatre, but it sounds like something else entirely.
Date: Aug 01, 2026 - -
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A Herd of Tiny TraditionsWhat do ticket counts, a 3D printer, and miniature rhinoceroses have in common?: A behind-the-scenes tradition that keeps growing.
Date: Jul 01, 2026 -
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