UCF Celebrates the Arts 2024

Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 5:30 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Architecture Showcase and Awards

Enjoy a full evening of student presentations, a talk with a nationally known architect, scholarship awards and more! 

Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Apollo’s Gift: An Art History of the Moon Landing with Peter Kalb

Art historian Peter Kalb discusses creative endeavors inspired by space exploration.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

Knight to Shine 2024: A Musical Theatre Showcase

The spotlight is on our senior Musical Theatre students as they take the stage for an evening of cabaret style performances!

Thursday, April 4, 2024, 2:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Writing Our LIFE Stories

In partnership with the University Writing Center and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, UCF LIFE writers will share their family history writing.

Thursday, April 4, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

PRINT: The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree

This interactive workshop offers an introduction to reading and transcribing letters from the past from UCF's PRINT project.

Thursday, April 4, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Judson's Live

Judson's Live/UCF Celebrates the Arts: Rhapsody in Blue

UCF professor Sun-A Park and Orlando pianist Ammon Perry Bratt perform an all-Gershwin program to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Rhapsody in Blue.

Friday, April 5, 2024, 6:00 p.m. • Della Phillips Grand Lobby

Alumni Social

Alumni, you're invited to join us for a special cocktail reception that will allow alumni to view and experience all the exhibits and immersive experiences offered!

Friday, April 5, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Write of Passage 2024: Creative Writing MFA Student Reading

Enjoy readings from the graduating students of UCF’s creative writing MFA program.

Friday, April 5, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

Feels Like Rain, Flying Horse Big Band plays Love Lost and Love Found

Join UCF’s chart-topping Flying Horse Big Band as it surveys music of the amorous nature – American style!

Saturday, April 6, 2024, 10:00 a.m. • DeVos Family Room

Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go! Theatre for the Very Young

Bring the youngest theatre-goers to this interactive performance from Orlando Family Stage!

Saturday, April 6, 2024, 1:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Poetry Reading and Book Signing by "Deaf Republic" author Ilya Kaminsky

Award-winning poet Ilya Kaminsky reads selections from his book, "Deaf Republic."

Saturday, April 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. • Seneff Arts Plaza

Creative Clash

FREE! Artists armed with markers race against the clock to create large-format artwork.

Saturday, April 6, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Graphic Design & Experimental Animation Showcase 

FREE! An event showcasing the work from graduating seniors in the emerging media programs! 

April 6 – April 7, 2024 • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

"Marriage of Figaro" from UCF Opera

UCF Opera presents Mozart's beloved "Marriage of Figaro," sung in English. A delightful story with some very unexpected twists!

Saturday, April 6, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

"Ode to Heroes" with the UCF Symphony Orchestra

A vibrant program from the UCF Symphony Orchestra and its newly-appointed conductor Robert G. Hasty showcases heroism and how it is conveyed in music.

Sunday, April 7, 2024, 1:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Performing Deaf Republic

Join Theatre UCF for a theatrical adaptation of Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky, followed by a talkback with the creative team.

Sunday, April 7, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

UCF Percussion Ensemble

Get ready for an electrifying performance as the UCF Percussion Ensemble and alumni from the percussion studio take the stage for an evening of percussion music.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 10:30 a.m. • DeVos Family Room

Let's Go Camping!

Join best friends Happy Camper and Fuzzy on a camping adventure, told through music, puppetry, and creative play! "Let's Go Camping!" is a 45-minute interactive play designed for 2- to 5-year-olds.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 11:00 a.m. • Steinmetz Hall

Inclusive Knights: Planes, Trains and Automobiles featuring the UCF Concert Band

FREE! The UCF Concert Band provides an entertaining musical journey for people of all abilities and needs while music education students serve as guides to the experience.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Guardians of the Stage: Injury Prevention and Wellness for Performing Artists

Immerse yourself in an enlightening arts and wellness presentation! Dive into the intricacies of vocal health, find tactics to enhance your hearing and learn practices to prevent full body injuries.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Irreverent by Hudson Cosgrove-Naftal

Project Spotlight, UCF’s only student developmental theatre organization, presents a new play by student Hudson Cosgrove-Naftal.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

UCF New Music Ensemble Presents PLOT/TWIST, Feat. Kornfeld & Andrews

Join UCF's New Music Ensemble for an evening of world premiere music and amazing improvised drama. The rules are simple: hear a piece of music, then create a scene on the spot.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 8:00 a.m. • Steinmetz Hall

Music for All UCF-Orlando Concert Band Invitational

Top school band programs selected from throughout the Southeast perform throughout the day in the Dr. Phillips Center’s world class performance spaces.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Remembering Florida’s Lost Boys - Stories of Our World War II Fallen

Stories from the UCF Veterans Legacy Program bring to life the memory of Floridians who paid the ultimate price in service of their country and are buried in St. Augustine National Cemetery.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

UCF Timeless Masterpieces: A Musical Journey Through Eras

The UCF Pegasus String Quartet and faculty from the School of Performing Arts presents a concert featuring works for piano and strings.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

Songs & Dances for Wind Orchestra, presented by the UCF Bands

UCF's Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band present a celebration of lively new music for winds and percussion.

Thursday, April 11, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Rebuilding Notre-Dame: Five Years of Restoration and Discovery

Learn about the history and post-fire rebuilding of the Cathedral of Notre Dame from art historian Jennifer M. Feltman.

Thursday, April 11, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Woodwind Ensembles Concert

Experience the UCF woodwind ensembles, from clarinets to saxophones, in a journey through musical eras with a rich and dynamic repertoire.

Thursday, April 11, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

A Celebration of Harmony: National High School Choral Festival in Honor of Dr. David Brunner

Esteemed choral director Dr. David Brunner works with guest choirs and combines them in a Mass choir featuring some of his works!

April 11 – April 14, 2024 • Walt Disney Theater

Sweeney Todd

A thrilling story set to music by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd captivates the audience by the emotionally stirring tale of Benjamin Barker, an exiled barber, who returns to 19th century London to settle a score with his nemesis and find his family.

Friday, April 12, 2024, 6:30 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

A.I. Across Creative Frontiers

An enlightening panel discussion dives into the dynamic world of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on creative expression.

Friday, April 12, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Hippocrene Saxophone Quartet

The Hippocrene Saxophone Quartet presents a history of saxophone music.

Friday, April 12, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

UCF Choirs: An Evening of Consolation and Hope featuring Brahms’ Requiem

This choral program features UCF’s large choral ensembles as well as the UCF Symphony Orchestra and special guests in a diverse program including Brahms’ Requiem.

Saturday, April 13, 2024, 12:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Character Animation & Animation VFX Premieres

FREE! Enjoy a series of award-winning short, animated films from students in the graduate and undergraduate programs in the School of Visual Arts and Design.

Saturday, April 13, 2024, 1:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room

Florida Prison Education Project Talk 

Learn more about the Florida Prison Education Project, an initiative by UCF to bring higher education to incarcerated persons. FPEP supports UCF’s mission by expanding educational access to increase retention and degree attainment.

Saturday, April 13, 2024, 8:00 p.m. • Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater

Intimate Harmony: UCF Small Ensembles Choral Concert

An intimate concert experience with the UCF Singing Knights.

Sunday, April 14, 2024, 12:00 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall

National Young Composers Challenge

FREE! Hear Central Florida's finest musicians perform music written by the next generation of star composers for stage and screen.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

#Faces of Russian Resistance Art Exhibition

This exhibition tells the story of sixteen Russian citizens who openly oppose the War in Ukraine. The panels tell their stories, share the laws under which they were convicted, and outline the terms of the sentences they received for fighting the regime, calling attention to the war, and for not remaining silent.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Character Animation Posters

Included in the collection are visual development illustrations from pre-production as well as 3D rendered images from production and post-production. Both films will be released in May of 2024.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Innerworkings: MFA Studio Art and Design Showcase

View a collection of selected works from students in the Emerging Media MFA, Studio Art & Design track!

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

"Annihilation" Inspired Artworks

Under the direction of Professor Nicholas Kalemba, Advanced Painting students respond visually to the award-winning novel "Annihilation" by Jeff VanderMeer. The compositions, painted with acrylics on canvas and wood panels, feature scenes, characters and themes inspired by the novel.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

2+2+2 Architecture Showcase

Showcase of work from the 2+2+2 architecture program featuring student work from students enrolled in UCF, UF and Valencia.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

2023 Creative Clash

View the pieces created at UCF Celebrates the Arts 2023, themed on pure imagination, on display in the center throughout the festival!

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Hospitality Art Exhibition

The Hospitality Art Exhibition presents research findings on the effects of visual art on guests' attitudes and behavioral intentions in various hospitality settings.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

ART & AUTISM: Pathways to Expression

We invite the audience to see talent and creativity at its purest and to gain insight in the layers of expression that are woven into the layers of the autism spectrum.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Rain Barrels from OUC's Water Color Project

Rain barrels designed by local students as part of OUC’s Water Color Project, which teaches the importance of water conservation through art, will be on display throughout the center.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Artful Moments

Explore a selection of curated clips, interviews, photos, exhibitions, events and more from the School of Visual Arts and Design.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

UCF Animation Shorts

Select animation shorts and reels from each of the animation tracks at UCF will be shown before various events throughout the week!

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

The Creative Side of Holoportation Technology at UCF

See how UCF's holoportation technology works through appearances by community members, artists and health professionals.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Theatre UCF Student Costumes Exhibition

Explore Theatre UCF's costume exhibition, a showcase of student talent spanning from the enchanting "Peter and the Starcatcher" to poignant "The Cherry Orchard" and beyond.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

The Steampunk Menagerie

Created by teams of students in 3D Design Fundamentals classes, this one-of-a-kind installation celebrates the victorian era with steampunk sculptural towers!

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

Dancing Danny

This video essay by UCF Professor of English Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés was created from family photos and Super 8 footage; they document the performances of an immigrant, working-class family attempting a higher status.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center

2024 Victorian Tableaux Vivants

Tableaux Vivants are back for UCF Celebrates the Arts 10th anniversary!