Arts and Culture

Art with impact

Art is all about expression. The way a dancer moves across the stage, the way a painter carefully places each brush stroke, the way an actor delivers a line—each is an expression of the artist’s vision, and each can communicate a powerful message.

Art also has a rich history in the Jesuit tradition, and for members of the Loyola University Chicago community it can be a powerful way to tackle injustice and to challenge the status quo. You’ll find this happening each day in Loyola’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts, but inspirational works of art aren’t limited to one department. From cancer patients on the Health Sciences Campus in Maywood to students at Arrupe College to alumni working in studios and theaters around the country, people are bringing to life works of art influenced by Loyola’s Jesuit, Catholic mission.

Read on to learn more about how these artists are using their unique talents to make an impact.

Explore Loyola's contributions to the arts

Dance as a weapon for change

Loyola dance instructor Sandra Kaufmann carries on a tradition of teaching young dancers how to make a statement without saying a word. MORE

Empathy on stage

Philip Dawkins (BA ’02) went from budding playwright to being a true craftsman of the theater. MORE

How art fosters education

At Arrupe College, the arts give students a creative outlet to express themselves while helping to balance the stress of their daily workload. MORE

Through the photographer’s lens

Noritaka Minami uses his camera to capture glimpses of an imagined future that never came to be. MORE

When you’ve thought about something as long as I have, when you finally sit down and do it, it just flows out.”
— Sculptor Jyl Bonaguro (BA ’98) Find out how Bonaguro brings her artistic vision to life with a hammer and chisel

Truth in fiction

In her short stories, School of Continuing and Professional Studies professor Amanda Marbais creates characters who reveal a lot about ourselves. MORE

The healing arts

At Loyola's Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, a paintbrush and canvas give patients a therapeutic experience to aid their recovery process. MORE

Finding the spiritual in the artistic

Jesuit Brother Lee Colombino offers advice on drawing closer to God by reflecting on works of art, even when the subject matter isn't religious. MORE

The business of the ballet

After dancing in the Joffrey Ballet's production of The Nutcracker, Jessica Pedroza took a deeper look into the operations end of the organization while studying at Loyola's Quinlan School of Business. MORE

Behind the art of Loyola’s campus

Which sculpture on campus was inspired by a similar statue in Mexico? Which one was originally on display at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London? Read on to learn the stories behind 10 art installations at Loyola. MORE

Where art meets medicine

Stritch School of Medicine alumna Cheyanne Silver turned to painting to help her process the challenges of stress and burnout in the medical community. MORE

Radio days

From Loyola's student station to WGN Radio, Tom Hush has made waves both on and off the air. MORE