Community invited to annual A Taste of the Arts benefit event
By Aviva Yasgur | Oct 8, 2025
MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� The College of Humanities and Fine Arts at Murray State University invites the public to attend the annual A Taste of the Arts dinner and live auction event, with proceeds designated to provide scholarships for fine arts students. The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 30, in Lovett Auditorium. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a cocktail hour, and dinner will be served at 6 p.m.
The event is sponsored by FNB Bank and will showcase performances by fine arts students, a fine dining experience provided by Sodexo and a live auction conducted by professional auctioneer Tanner Roberts.
鈥淎 Taste of the Arts is a scholarship event that provides vital support for talented students in our fine arts majors,鈥� said Dr. Nicole Hand-Bryant, interim dean of Murray State鈥檚 College of Humanities and Fine Arts. 鈥淭he impact of the Taste of the Arts goes far beyond fundraising. This event brings our community together to celebrate the arts and their role in enriching our lives. Supporting the arts invests in creativity, culture and the voices that help us better understand ourselves and the world around us. This is a great way to spend an evening with friends and family, entertained by our emerging artists, musicians and performers, and supporting scholarships for the arts!鈥�
As part of the event, the College of Humanities and Fine Arts annually awards the Outstanding Alumni in the Fine Arts. This year, the College is jointly honoring two recipients, Dustin (鈥�06) and Courtney (鈥�04) Cunningham, who have been performing together since the year 2000 when they met while studying music at Murray State. The Cunninghams have performed together on the national tours of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Miracle on 34th Street, and have toured the world on cruise ships as lead vocalists for Oceania, Silversea, Holland America and Celebrity Cruises. They have also worked together on river cruises and many musical productions both nationally and regionally including venues such as the Alhambra Theatre, Gaylord Resorts and the Kentucky Opera, with starring roles in many professional theatrical shows including South Pacific (Dustin), Guys and Dolls (both), The Pirates of Penzance (both), and Bye Bye Birdie (Courtney).
Born in Louisville, Dustin Cunningham sang professionally as a child and received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in vocal performance from Murray State. He has been a featured classical soloist with the Nashville, Paducah and Daytona Beach Symphonies. Courtney Cunningham grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in vocal music and theatre from Murray State and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Central Florida.
Remarking on Dustin and Courtney, whom Winter Park Playhouse calls the 鈥減owerhouse pair,鈥� Murray State Theatre Professor David Balthrop said, 鈥淒ustin and Courtney were wonderful students and are excellent performers. I was thrilled to be able to direct both of them in a production of Fiddler on the Roof. They were both incredibly professional, great to work with, and performed expertly. They are still friends of the department and the University.鈥�
Lissa Graham, another Murray State Theatre professor who taught the Cunninghams, remembers, 鈥淒ustin and Courtney were both amazing students. They were extremely supportive of the department. I had the pleasure of working with them many times and their talent was undeniable.鈥�
All proceeds benefit the Taste of the Arts scholarship fund, which directly supports students in the fine arts in their pursuit of a quality arts education. This fund supported 44 students in the 2024-25 academic year in their studies at Murray State.
Advance registration is required, and the reservation deadline is Oct. 15 or until all seats are filled. Individual tickets are $75, and full tables of eight are $550. To sponsor a table, RSVP to reserve individual seats, or request more information, visit or contact Aviva Yasgur in the Office of Development by Oct. 15 at 270-809-4518. To make a direct contribution to the Taste of the Arts scholarship fund, please contact Rebecca Dyer at 270-809-3940 or .