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Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts

Students on stage during the Spring Dance Rehearsal.
Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts

CECA hosts emerging and prominent artists from around the nation to present public concerts, lectures, and exhibitions, work directly with students in masterclasses and workshops, and introduce innovative ways of making and exploring art. An arts hub in Middle Tennessee, CECA is a vibrant and integral component to the Austin Peay campus and beyond.

Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts

CECA hosts emerging and prominent artists from around the nation to present public concerts, lectures, and exhibitions, work directly with students in masterclasses and workshops, and introduce innovative ways of making and exploring art. An arts hub in Middle Tennessee, CECA is a vibrant and integral component to the Austin Peay campus and beyond.

Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts

CECA hosts emerging and prominent artists from around the nation to present public concerts, lectures, and exhibitions, work directly with students in masterclasses and workshops, and introduce innovative ways of making and exploring art. An arts hub in Middle Tennessee, CECA is a vibrant and integral component to the Austin Peay campus and beyond.

CECA logo celebrating their 40th anniversary.

Enriching Middle Tennessee's Arts & Culture for 40 Years

Since 1985, the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA, pronounced "seek-ah") has been the cultural cornerstone of Austin Peay State University and Middle Tennessee. As a dynamic arts hub, we bring creativity, innovation, and artistic excellence to the Clarksville community and beyond.

85+
Visiting artist annually
100+
Yearly public arts & culture events
4
Major creative disciplines supported

What We Offer

Programs & Events

 

Academic Support

Students work with professor in art classroom
Connect with CECA

All CECA events are free and open to the community unless otherwise noted. Join us in celebrating the arts and fostering creative excellence in Middle Tennessee.

 

View Upcoming Events

Creative Arts Areas at Austin Peay

Student looking at the art displayed in a gallery.
Department of Art + Design

The Department offers comprehensive studies in:

  • Drawing and Painting
  • Digital Media
  • Graphic Design
  • Illustration
  • Photography
  • Ceramics
  • Printmaking
  • Sculpture
  • Art Education

Explore Art + Design Programs

Stack of books sitting on a table at a book signing event
Creative Writing

Housed in the Department of Languages & Literature, our writing program features:

  • Undergraduate and graduate courses
  • Small, intimate class sizes
  • Internship opportunities
  • Scholarship programs
  • Active creative community

Discover Creative Writing

Student sitting down with his trumbone
Department of Music

A cornerstone of Clarksville's cultural landscape, offering:

  • Performance opportunities
  • Professional training
  • Community engagement
  • Concert series
  • Ensemble experiences

Learn About Music Programs

Students on stage during Spring Dance rehersal
Department of Theatre & Dance

Features state-of-the-art facilities and programs focusing on:

  • Performance arts
  • Technical theatre
  • Dance studies
  • Professional development
  • Community outreach

Explore Theatre & Dance


Latest News

News Feed

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20250416-57TH_JURIED_REVIEW-0005
APSU's 58th Annual Juried Student Exhibition open now through April 29

Austin Peay State University's Department of Art + Design, with support from the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, is hosting the 58th Annual Juried Student Exhibition through April 29 in The New Gallery, featuring 55 works from 45 student artists juried by CDC Chief Design Officer Cesar Rivera.

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20250411-Zone3_WritingFestival-9297
Pulitzer finalist Rebecca Makkai to headline APSU's Zone 3 Writers' Festival

The multi-day festival was organized by students in APSU's Zone 3 Internship course and will welcome writers from across the country, including Makkai, her guests, Kim Brooks and Jessie Van Eerden, and Zone 3 Journal Editor's Prize winners Francesca Leader, Nicole Yurcaba, and Jacob Vaus.

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jaroslava-prihodova-headshot
Artist, curator Jaroslava Prihodova named director of APSU's The New Gallery

Prihodova is a curator, artist, and arts administrator with over a decade of experience working across academic galleries and international cultural institutions.

Read More