I recall that when I toured Franklin & Marshall’s campus, I worried that there simply wasn’t anything to do in the city of Lancaster. I knew about bars and clubs (places that I couldn’t go to yet), but I knew little about other establishments in Lancaster where I could go and have a good time appreciating and participating in local arts. Many students already interact with the Lancaster community, even by simply ordering food on DoorDash. Leaving campus can seem daunting, especially without a car of one’s own, but exploring can be incredibly rewarding, especially in a city with many celebrated businesses and organizations like Lancaster. A great place to start your off-campus exploration is just south of campus, across Buchanan Ave. West Art is a great place to go for students looking for entertainment and community.
It may seem difficult to understand what exactly West Art is, being it both an entertainment venue and a social space. Part of West Art is a coffee shop and bar called the Art Bar. At the Art Bar, F&M students receive a 10% discount on coffee and tea. If you need a venue to meet another student or a class group, and you anticipate that you’ll need a caffeinated pick-me-up, the Art Bar is a great place to go.
If you don’t care much for beverages, then West Art is also a great place to find a club to join. West Art offers clubs for chess, art, film and other interests. Community clubs are an excellent place to interact with peers outside of your traditional F&M bubble. F&M’s academic mission often stresses diverse perspectives, but our student body is rather small. West Art is a great place to search for others who share similar interests.
In addition to providing a space for community clubs, West Art often hosts entertainment in its live music venue. On February 6, for example, West Art will host a Grammy Award-winning group, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience. West Art provides students with a great, local venue to see live music. Students also receive discounted pricing on many West Art concerts. Concert ticket prices reached a high in 2024, and they’ve been slow to fall back down. If ever there was a time to invest in local music and entertainment, it would be now. When tickets that we want reach high levels, a great opportunity emerges to explore talent that we typically take for granted.
If you don’t care much for live music, then perhaps you’ll take an interest in West Art’s classes and Art Battles. West Art offers various classes for the community, including dance classes, music classes, and skateboarding classes. In Art Battles, the audience judges which of several skilled artists can paint the best piece in 20-minute rounds. Events at West Art provide fun, organized activities for students to learn and enjoy.
During this winter season, don’t let hibernation and isolation become your motto. Get out and enjoy the Lancaster community! Our institution has played a major role in shaping the history and evolution of Lancaster as a city, so it’s only right that we should be a part of Lancaster’s community and culture.
Junior Charlie Burns is the Editorials Editor. His email is cburns1@fandm.edu.