Texas Tech University and the College of Visual & Performing Arts kick off the 2014-2015 season of the Presidential Lecture & Performance Series in October.

Jo Moore, director of the Presidential Lecture & Performance series, said she thinks this year’s exciting, eclectic lineup will appeal to a widely diverse audience.

“There is something for everyone,” Moore said. “For starters, the excitement across the community of presenting actor Cheech Marin and his Chicanitas art collection is palpable. This event will set the tone for the rest of the season to follow with world music, theatre, jazz and poetry.”

Cheech Marin, actor, director, comedian, author and Chicano art collector, opens the series at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 in Texas Tech’s Allen Theatre. Marin is best known as half of the comedic pair Cheech and Chong, but he has also acquired one of the world’s finest private collections of Chicano art. Marin will discuss the current status of Chicano art in the U.S., as well as his role as a Chicano art advocate.

The event launches the Texas Tech Landmark Gallery exhibition of Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection, located in the School of Art Building, from Oct. 3 until Dec. 14.

Performing Nov. 7 is the Indo-Afro-Caribbean world music fusion band Funkadesi. This Chicago-based group’s sound blends Indian music with reggae, funk and Afro-Caribbean styles, creating a unique, diverse sound that has won them the title “Best World Music Band” by the Chicago Music Awards six times.

The spring season opens Feb. 20 with a multi-disciplinary performance titled “The Clothesline Muse,” featuring a cast of six dancers and six-time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon. “The Clothesline Muse” explores the metaphor of the clothesline as a community lifeline through dance, music, spoken word, interview text, video and interactive art.

Jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli performs with Grammy-nominated singer Jane Monheit on Mar. 6 in “Singers Over Manhattan,” a soulful, creative display of American, jazz and cabaret song styles.

Robert Hass, former U.S. poet laureate and National Book Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, environmentalist and teacher, closes the 2014-2015 season Apr. 10.

All Presidential Lecture & Performance Series events will be held at the Allen Theatre in the Texas Tech Student Union Building. Season tickets are $75, while general admission tickets are $18 per event. Texas Tech students may receive one free ticket for each event with a valid Texas Tech student ID presented at the information desk in the Student Union Building.

Tickets are available through all Select-A-Seat locations, at (806) 770-2000 or at www.selectaseatlubbock.com.