Singletary Center for the Arts


Originally opened on November 1, 1979, as Center for the Arts, the Singletary Center for the Arts is a fine arts complex located on the campus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Nearly eight years after its opening, on April 16, 1987, Center for the Arts was dedicated to and renamed after the eighth president of the University, Dr. Otis A. Singletary, becoming henceforth known as the Singletary Center for the Arts.
As part of the College of Fine Arts and essential to the UK School of Music, the Singletary Center for the Arts’ mission is to host artistic, cultural and educational events for the University community, Lexington community and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Additionally, the Singletary Center provides professional, full-service venues for the creation, practical application, and dissemination of artistic, cultural and educational expressions by international, national, regional, university, and student performers, artists, and speakers.
Since its opening in 1979, The Singletary Center for the Arts has served over 3.7 million patrons and has come to host over 400 events annually. Among these 400 annual events, Singletary plays host to a variety of musical performances spanning genres such as orchestral, choral, jazz, rock, world, and bluegrass music as well as dance, comedy, and lecture events. Some notable performers and speakers at Singletary include jazz legend Herbie Hancock, the Moscow Ballet, comedian Bill Burr, author David Sedaris, and many more.
Noteworthy Performer/LecturerEvent TypeYear of Appearance
Music, Rap2000
Herbie HancockMusic, Jazz2002
Jane GoodallLecture2002
WilcoMusic, Rock2003
Yo La TengoMusic, Rock2003
Nickel CreekMusic, Bluegrass/Americana2005
Glenn KotcheMusic, Jazz2006
Nels ClineMusic, Jazz2006
B.B. KingMusic, Blues2007
Wynton MarsalisMusic, Jazz2008
Emmylou HarrisMusic, Americana2008
Boyz II MenMusic, Pop2009
Jean-Luc PontyMusic, Jazz2009
David SanbornMusic, Jazz2010
Joe LovanoMusic, Jazz2010
Sarah ChangMusic, Classical2010
Marvin HamlischMusic, Classical2010
Beach BoysMusic, Rock2010
Chris IsaakMusic, Rock2010
Nadja Salerno-SonnenbergMusic, Classical2010
Zoran DukićMusic, Classical2011
B-52'sMusic, New-Wave2011
Imelda MayMusic, Rockabilly2011
Pink MartiniMusic, Pop-Rock2011
Travis PorterMusic, Hip-Hop2012
Natasha ParemskiMusic, Classical2012
Seth MeyersComedy2012
Gabriel IglesiasComedy2012
Andrew BirdMusic, Indie Rock2012
Itzhak PerlmanMusic, Classical2012
Paul GalbraithMusic, Classical2012
The Birdland Big BandMusic, Jazz2012
Ron WhiteComedy2012
The Brian Setzer OrchestraMusic, Jazz2012
David SedarisLecture2012
Joel McHaleComedy2013
Elena KaganLecture2013
Mayer HawthorneMusic, Soul2013
Arturo SandovalMusic, Jazz2013
Lynn HarrellMusic, Classical2013
NEEDTOBREATHEMusic, Rock2014
Lang LangMusic, Classical2014
Aziz AnsariComedy2014
Morgan FreemanLecture2014
Trombone ShortyMusic, Funk/Rock2014
Dru HillMusic, R&B2014
Diego GarciaMusic, Bluegrass2014
Branford MarsalisMusic, Jazz2014
Jim GaffiganComedy2015
Beau WillimonLecture2015
Joshua BellMusic, Classical2015
Bill BurrComedy2015
Ben RectorMusic, Pop-Rock2015
Sybarite5Music, Classical2015
John PrineMusic, Americana2015
Nick OffermanComedy2016
US Army Field Band & Soldiers ChorusMusic, Classical2016
Joe BonamassaMusic, Jazz2016
Ariel String QuartetMusic, Classical2017
David RussellMusic, Classical2017
Gordon LightfootMusic, Folk2017
Conrad TaoMusic, Classical2017
Viola DavisLecture2017
Brian ReganComedy2018
Berlin Philharmonic Wind QuintetMusic, Classical2019