Viewing arts and culture as playing a vital role in community development, K-State's Center for Engagement and Community Development is partnering with numerous K-State departments, KSRE, Kansas Campus Compact, and the Educational Communications Center to integrate arts and culture into all aspects of Kansas' community life. CECD works to create an environment in which arts and culture can flourish and prosper. Arts and culture resources on the K-State campus include:
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Negro baseball leagues emerged when Negro baseball players were restricted from competing in the White major league baseball clubs. Although this exclusionary type of competition was prevalent as early as 1871, Negro baseball began forming leagues of their own as early as the 1890s.
Drama Therapy Program
Drama therapy uses improvisation, role-playing, puppetry, mime, masks, theater games and other techniques to teach participants how to connect with themselves and others.
McCain Auditorium, located at Kansas State University, is the cultural center for performance arts and a host for numerous campus entertainment activities. A variety of performance events and theater productions are held each season and all events are open to the student population and the general public.
Flinthills Writing ProjectThe The Flint Hills Writing Project, begun in the summer of 2002, continues to attract some of the best and brightest educators from areas surrounding the Kansas Flint Hills to attend its summer institutes. The FHWP has developed a variety of programs such as in-services promoting the writing process, youth programs such as the family writing projects and after-school writing clubs, and teacher research.
Beach MuseumThe Beach Museum of Art offers a rich diversity of exhibitions and educational programs and continues to collect art that is reflective of the region. It must be noted that the quality and standards of these endeavors are high, as recognized by accreditation of the museum by the American Association of Museums in 2002. Guiding the stewardship of the museum is the University President’s Office, Museum Advisory Board, Board of Visitors, Friends of the Beach Museum of Art, volunteers, and staff.