Vanessa Finney
News Host / ProducerVanessa Finney is JPR's Arts Reporter, All Things Considered host, and the award-winning host of My Better Half - exploring how people are thriving in the second half of their lives - and The Creative Way, which profiles regional artists. Outside of JPR, Vanessa sings Jazz & Bossa Nova and produces The Work of Art for Southern Oregon PBS. Originally from California, she graduated from UCLA with a BA in Literature then earned an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Antioch University Los Angeles.
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The Ashland Independent Film Festival returns with 40+ programs, local filmmakers, and films exploring identity, activism and storytelling trends. -
A new production and Playwrights Walk plaque highlight Lorraine Hansberry’s impact as a playwright, activist and public intellectual beyond her best-known work. -
Redding’s Sundial Film Festival brings 25 films to the Cascade Theatre, spotlighting local filmmakers and stories from Northern California. -
OSF's production of “Come from Away” tells the remarkable true story of a small town that opened its homes to thousands of stranded travelers after the Sept. 11 attacks. -
The Southern Oregon Repertory Singers' "Grace Before Sleep" concert celebrates the power of music and love to inspire gratitude. JPR's Vanessa Finney spoke with Music Director Paul French and guest actor Geoffrey Riley. -
Based in Ashland, Art Authority blends fine art, technology and longstanding museum partnerships to create an immersive, customizable virtual museum experience. -
An interactive exhibition by Crystal Proffitt explores hair as culture, memory and power. -
From student voices to new commissions, Southern Oregon Repertory Singers blend legacy and renewal for a holiday concert at the Holly Theatre. -
The Ashland Sarcasm Festival brings national and local comedians to venues across town, offering stand-up, improv and workshops that showcase Ashland’s creativity. -
Raised in a family deeply rooted in the Rogue Valley’s musical life, Shaw returns with the internationally acclaimed Dover Quartet to open the Chamber Music Concerts season. -
Ashland New Plays Festival offers space for writers to experiment, connect and grow, both on and off the stage. -
JPR’s Vanessa Finney recently spoke with three artists creating a song cycle about survivors of the 2020 Almeda Fire. Composer Jesse Sanchez, director Dalia Ashurina and lyricist Sami Horneff describe their collaboration on “Letters from Almeda."
