Welcome, students!

Whether you're shortly into your first year experience or deep into your master's, it's a good time for a rundown of all the ways the Wexner Center for the Arts can make your time in school both more enjoyable and more productive (non-Ohio State students, some of this applies to you, too). Let's start with something we get asked about a lot.

Getting in 
From the outside in, our grid-marked space, designed by architect Peter Eisenman, is meant to engage visitors more actively than your average building. But it can be a bit disorienting at first. There are two entrances: one at the west end of the plaza at 15th and N. High and an accessible entrance on the north side of the building, just off College Rd. The Wex is ADA-compliant.

Deals with your ID 
Present a valid student ID at the Patron Services desk and you're eligible for reduced pricing on virtually all performances, screenings, and other events, along with unlimited access to our galleries. Pick favorites in the exhibitions and come back to visit them often. Find a favorite spot to sketch. Join in some guided meditation through the weekly On Pause program. It's free every time.

Bargains on books and more 
In the lower lobby, the Wexner Center Store balances an expertly curated selection of arts-related reading with really fun gifts, distinctive accessories, and products made around Ohio. Present a valid Ohio State ID at checkout for 10 percent off your purchase.

A different option at lunchtime 
When you need a break from the meal plan, you can treat yourself to fresh, locally sourced breakfast and lunch options at Heirloom Café, also in the Wex's lower lobby. And they take payments via BuckID.

Other ways to connect with the Wex 
As a creative laboratory connected to Ohio State, the Wex doesn't just present programming; it supports the development of new work and opportunities for new connections. Every year, the Wexner Center Artist Residency Award is given to artists doing groundbreaking things in their chosen disciplines, and each artist to receive it is invited to work with students in Columbus in workshops and master classes. Artists visiting the Wex for public events also participate in opportunities to expand on what Ohio State students are learning in classrooms and studios, and the Wex schedule regularly features afternoon lectures and other programs geared toward students.

How about some extra credit? 
If you're at Ohio State and the arts are the focus of your studies, you might have a professor suggest that attendance at one of our events can earn you extra credit in class. But the Wex's programming touches on a vast array of topics, from modern sports journalism to historic moments of social change; from a consideration of what it means to be a man in America to the tracing of the African diaspora and the ever-growing body of work in the genre of Afrofuturism. If you keep an eye on our programming and talk to your professors, you may discover opportunities to enhance both your learning and your grade.

All students are welcome to check out the Wex and a taste of our programming during the annual Student Party, happening Friday, September 21. In the meantime, you can keep up with what's happening by signing up for our weekly email or following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Insta. See you soon!