Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall Marks 20 Years of Artistic Excellence, Community Impact

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall with a special performance by Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano, and pianist Adam Nielsen. The Jan. 14 event honored two decades of artistic excellence and community impact in one of the university’s most significant cultural spaces.

Since its opening in 2006, the Performance Hall has been a landmark for the arts and community, serving USU, Cache Valley and the Intermountain region.

The building was a gift from sisters Manon Caine Russell and Kathryn Caine Wanlass, longtime champions of the arts whose philanthropy reflected a deep understanding of the vital role private support plays in sustaining arts education.

“Manon and Kathryn understood that state funding alone is inadequate to fully support the university’s mission to educate and shape the next generation of artists and teachers of the arts,” said Nicholas Morrison, director of the Caine School of the Arts. “The Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall, the Wanlass Center, the Russell Resident Quartet Endowment, and the recent gift from the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation – Russell Family to establish an endowment for the Caine School of the Arts are transformational on their own and as examples to the community of philanthropists and donors. Because of this support, the arts and students of the arts have the potential to flourish at USU and in the communities we serve.”

Over the years, the space has hosted a wide range of world-class programming, from performances by artists such as the Ying Quartet and pianist Jeremy Denk to guest lectures and panel discussions presented by the Department of Art + Design and the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum, as well as recitals and research presentations.

“When we see alumni come back, like Adam and Tamara, and speak to us from their many years of extraordinary professional accomplishment, they tell us that this is a world-class venue,” said Joe Ward, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “That fills all of us with confidence that our students are on the right path.”

The space has provided students with impactful experiences, connecting them with direct examples from artists who are at the top of their fields.

“There’s a conventional wisdom that one cannot make a good living in the arts that our students hear from family members, friends and society,” Morrison said. “The opportunity to see, hear and work closely with alumni who have made successful careers provides an alternate narrative and helps students persevere.”

Dane Graham, director of advancement for the College of Arts & Sciences noted that the Performance Hall is proof that strategic giving can shape spaces, experiences and opportunities that endure.

“This is just an example of forward thinking and the ability for someone to have the vision and the resources,” Graham said. “It’s aligning interest, resources and needs altogether, and that’s a shining example of what this was, what it became, and what it will be for years to come.”

To support future performances and educational opportunities at the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall, visit this link.