Join the Ware Center in honoring the courage, sacrifice and resilience of a community shaped by loss — and in celebrating the power of storytelling to connect, heal and inspire.

The Ware Center for the Arts will present “Our Journeys,” a powerful multimedia exhibition created by Vietnamese Boat People, from Feb. 2 to 28. The exhibition, which can be viewed weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is free and open to the public, as is a special exhibit opening event on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.

Centering the voices of Vietnamese Americans, “Our Journeys” brings to life deeply personal stories of migration, memory and resilience. Through oral histories, cherished artifacts and interactive elements, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the emotional and historical threads that connect generations across the diaspora.

The exhibit will include local Vietnam diaspora stories by Alys Truong, Mai Nguyen Yeager, Ho-Thanh Nguyen and Thuat Nham ’81, the first Vietnamese woman to attend and graduate from Millersville University.

Exhibit Opening Event

The Jan. 31 opening event will feature artwork by local Asian American visual artists, including Libby Etheridge, Wendy Li yuen-Ting, Yen Elizabeth Keener, Aron Rook, Vu Quoc Nguyen and Baldwin Fellow Bri Nguyen. There will also be a display of traditional Vietnamese dresses curated by Julia Cao, delicious Vietnamese finger foods provided by the Rice & Noodles/Sprout family and a performance by Vietnamese American singer Lê Thanh Trúc (“Panda”). Maian McCauley, whose mother’s story will be featured in the “Our Journeys” exhibit, will share the poignant story of her family’s diaspora experience.

VBP Founder Tracey Nguyễn Mang will share ways to participate in the organization’s oral history project and offer book signings for the “Our Journeys” book, an exhibition accompaniment.

*Our Journeys interactive world map for sharing your journey. Design and rendering by Thinc Design. Image courtesy of Vietnamese Boat People.*

Vietnamese Boat People’s “Our Journeys” Exhibit

Since 2018, VBP has documented the untold stories of the Vietnamese refugee experience through its award-winning podcast, educational workshops, and grassroots storytelling initiatives. Our Journeys is the culmination of this work — transforming audio into a deeply human, visual and participatory experience.

The exhibition invites visitors through a self-guided collection of personal narratives and objects contributed by storytellers — each one carrying the weight of history, loss and hope. In the final section of the show, a global map invites guests to pause and chart their own journeys of migration, weaving together a collective story of displacement and homecoming. Guests are also invited to engage with conversation cards that prompt dialogue and personal storytelling.

“At the heart of ‘Our Journeys’ is the belief that storytelling is both inheritance and offering,” says Mang. “This exhibition isn’t just about where we’ve come from — it’s about where we’re going, and how sharing our stories can guide others forward.”

This exhibition was made possible with generous support from the Henry Luce Foundation, New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the Asian Women Giving Circle, and community donors, as acknowledged on the exhibition’s Wall of Hope. Local support for this installation provided by the Lancaster County Community Foundation.

Join us in honoring the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of a community shaped by loss—and in celebrating the power of storytelling to connect, heal, and inspire.

The Ware Center for the Arts is more than a visual and performing arts center — it is the cultural cornerstone of Lancaster’s diverse, vibrant, creative community.

In recognition of its 15th Anniversary Season, the Ware Center held an evening of celebration on Saturday, September 20, 2025, for its community partners, supporters, and local artists.

Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres by Taste & Toast while the smooth jazz sounds of the Ryan Kauffman Quartet—led by a member of Millersville University’s music faculty—set the tone for an evening filled with the best of Lancaster’s local arts scene.

Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

The event featured the grand unveiling of the Ware Center’s refreshed new name and logo (created by Lancaster design agency Goodthree), marking its continued growth and commitment to the community, as well as the reading of a formal citation recognizing the mark the Ware Center has made on the region, presented by Pennsylvania State Representatives Ismail Smith-Wade-El and Jordan Harris.

Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

Throughout the evening, guests contributed to a collaborative mural project led by artist Keisha Finnie. The 15 canvases, which were based on themes like Community, Connection, Dance, Music, and other pillars of the Ware Center’s mission, vision, and values, were brought together at the end of the night into a honeycomb “mosaic.” The finished artwork will remain on display throughout the 2025-2026 season, serving as a reminder of the power of the arts to bring people together from all walks of life.

Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

After a dinner that was accompanied by original music from pianist Brad Minnig, an eclectic lineup of local artists highlighted the Ware Center’s mission to create space for all voices, cultures, and genres—including a demonstration of African drumming by Imani Edu-tainers African Dance Company, an original poem crafted for the event by Lancaster City Poet Laureate Dana Kinsey, a series of photos and stories by photographer Bri Nguyen, and musical performances by Julia Kamanda and Ever Sandoval. ASL interpreter Nancy Abreu made each performance more accessible and engaging for those in attendance.

Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

A range of speakers provided insights into the Ware Center’s history, legacy, and its place in the community, including Jerry Eckert, Millersville University’s Vice President of Advancement Emeritus. In a pre-recorded video statement, Paul and Judy Ware voiced their disbelief at how quickly the time had passed and related that while Millersville University owns the Ware Center, Lancastrians see the venue as their performing arts center. (The Wares were unable to attend in person, as they were being honored the very same night by Franklin & Marshall College. As the Ware Center’s Barry Kornhauser quipped, “We don’t mind sharing the Wares—or their generosity!”)

To culminate an already incredible evening, featured guest speaker Deborah Rutter, former president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the current Vice Provost for the Arts at Duke University, spoke about the role of the arts in civic life, the lessons she had learned in her decades as an arts administrator, and, when asked, her reason for hope—”the performances I saw tonight.”

Photos by Taylor Ann Photography

Reflecting on its accomplishments of the past 15 years and the community it has built around the arts, the Ware Center looks ahead to the next 15 years—and beyond—with hope, joy, and excitement for the artists who will one day bring their voices, their hearts, and their art to its stages.