Arts

EMU AMP! and Pokito Productions hosts WonderFest to bring together artists, build community

WonderFest is a new event by AMP! and Pokito Productions set to take place Nov. 4, combining galleries and artist alleys to showcase student work.

Cryptid festival brings monster madness to Ypsilanti

On Oct. 24, 2025, Ypsilanti Freighthouse hosted its first cryptid festival for local horror fans and artists. The cryptid festival, however, is not the only Halloween event happening in Ypsilanti this season.

Five tattoo shops within 10 miles of EMU offer a variety of styles and atmospheres

For those looking for a new form of artistic expression, here are five tattoo shops within 10 miles of Eastern Michigan University's campus.

What’s the Move? Oct. 14-20

Several off-campus events are scheduled to take place from Oct. 14-20 in the spirit of the fall season and Halloween.

Windgate Arts Complex brings potential fellowship for EMU art students

The Windgate Arts Complex has been open for a year and has opened up new opportunities for EMU students with new facilities and future grants.

EMU Swifties celebrate 'The Life of A Showgirl'

On Oct. 3, 2025, Taylor Swift fans at Eastern Michigan University celebrated the release of Swift's 12th studio album "The Life of a Showgirl" with a listening party organized by EMU's fan club Team Taylor.

The Echo Q&A Series: Kristin Danko, Executive Director of Neighborhood Theatre Group

Kristin Danko is the executive producer and founder of Neighborhood Theatre Group. In a conversation with The Echo, Danko reflected on the origin of the company, how it has grown over the years and its plans for the future.

EMU Theatre's 'The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical' travels to Mount Olympus

This fall, Eastern Michigan University's theater department will present "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical."

Totally Awesome Fest celebrates its 20th anniversary with 4 days of fun

Local Ypsilanti-based festival brings free fun with music, puppet shows and more.

Intermedia Gallery Group opens retrospective exploring relationship with face coverings

Intermedia Gallery Group opens student exhibition, "Mask Mandate," with reception on Sept. 18, 2025, featuring works from EMU art professors Digital Fabrication class.

Local Artist of the Month: Curator and Creative, Amanda May Moore

The Dzanc House is an Ypsilanti based community literary and arts center where Amanda Moore is the Creative Gallery Arts Director and Residency Coordinator. Moore is an artist as well, her medium is printmaking.

Brittanie Bondie, Megan Major dissect the human-nature relationship in show at Riverside Arts Center

Cellar Roots opens yearly submissions, debuts new arts publication

Eastern Michigan University's student-operated fine arts and literary magazine, Cellar Roots, is introducing Roots, a new arts and entertainment publication, in collaboration with The Eastern Echo.

EMU alumni, Drew and Kin, to perform at homecoming halftime

Drew and Kin, EMU alumni and musicians, are set to perform at EMU's homecoming game halftime show on Sept. 20 at Rynearson Stadium.

Shakespeare in the Arb brings 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' to life this summer

Shakespeare in the Arb is a community theater group bringing the magic of Shakespeare to the Nichols Arboretum.

Shakespeare gets a makeover in gender-bent “The Taming of the Shrew”

Theater lovers will not want to miss Brevity Shakespeare's gender-bent version of Shakespeare's play "The Taming of the Shrew."

What's the Move? May 10-22

From drumline auditions to a photo exhibit on gun violence, here are some of the events happening in and around Eastern Michigan University's campus during May.

EMU student poet lands in Cellar Roots fine arts magazine for the second time

Ypsilanti native Amelia Taylor, an orthodontics and prosthetics major at Eastern Michigan University, is also a published poet — twice over. 

Featured Cellar Roots artist Clara Engel shares experiences of art and honor

That work included a 2D piece titled "Mother Nature" that was created using watercolor and acrylic paint. The piece was created with assistance from one of her professors, Michael Reedy. This piece was selected to be the cover of the Cellar Roots magazine for 2025.

Ypsilanti's Riverside Arts Center celebrates 30 years of community-focused art