UCF Celebrates the Arts 2026 showcased student and faculty creativity and community engagement across a wide range of performances, exhibitions, and interactive experiences.
The two weekslong festival featured 50 events, welcomed 15,000 guests and engaged over 3,000 participants, reflecting the university’s continued investment in arts education and creative collaboration.
The festival included a broad mix of music and theatre performances, visual arts exhibitions, original work by students, alumni and faculty, humanities-based storytelling, dance, cultural programming, and large-scale productions developed across campus.
Supporters of UCF Celebrates the Arts 2026 included BNY, the Learning Institute for Elders, OUC – The Reliable One, and the Downtown Development Board. Partners included Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the National Young Composers Challenge, Orlando Shakes, Orlando Family Stage, Orlando Philharmonic, UCF Alumni, UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences, and the UCF School of Modeling, Simulation and Training, with gratitude toward the thousands of individuals who offered time, treasure, and talent to ensure the festival’s success.
“This two-week event was loaded with both free and paid events that offered diverse programs appealing to first-time as well as seasoned attendees. Orlando is fortunate to have the Dr. Phillips Center as well as UCF Celebrates the Arts partnering for this event.”
In a post-event survey, 98 percent of attendees said they agreed that UCF Celebrates the Arts is a valuable experience for the university and community. 95 percent would be likely to recommend the event to others, and 88 percent said attending would make them likely to attend arts events on campus. 32 percent of the attendees (based on survey respondents) were community members, 18 percent were alumni, 15 percent were family members of participants, 13 percent were employees, and 8 percent were students.
Here are some of the standout moments from the 2026 festival:
Legally Blonde served as the anchor event of the festival, featuring a large cast of students and a creative team of faculty and students. Theatre UCF brought bold storytelling, high-energy choreography, and innovative technology to its full-scale production at the Walt Disney Theater.
“I was honestly blown away by the production of Legally Blonde. Having been in the industry 20+ years, this production was by far one of the most exceptional. From the cast and crew to the production design and orchestra, the show carried itself in the best light. I hope to become more involved in the program and look forward to supporting future productions.”
Patrons were enthusiastic about the show, with many people dressing in Elle Woods’ signature color, raving about the production’s quality, and fawning over the show dogs.
“I liked the energy. It was fun getting dressed up and seeing everyone there excited to watch the show.”
Across the festival, hundreds of students worked behind the scenes to bring each event to life. Stage managers, stagehands, technicians, designers, and crew members coordinated rehearsals and executed technical elements such as lighting, sound, costumes, and set changes. They also manage festival-wide logistics like scheduling dressing rooms, updating security lists, and ordering food for the teams who are working upwards of 12 hour days. Their work, while not always obvious to audiences, was essential in supporting the quality and scale of each event.
“Such a talented group of performers! The staging, costumes, choreography… everything was great! All of the backstage efforts shine through on stage and Legally Blonde was a fantastic show!”
A visual highlight of UCF Celebrates the Arts was Interstellar Towers, a student-built installation on the Della Phillips Grand Staircase. Created in the School of Visual Arts and Design’s 3D Design courses over the fall and spring semesters, the towers transformed the space into an immersive, space-inspired environment. Other lobby displays featured student and faculty work; animation, paintings, and multimedia exhibitions were on display throughout the venue.
“From the time I entered the building until I departed, the energy, exhibits, staff, students, and performances were superb. UCF and Dr. Phillips are an amazing combination…two world class institutions working together to advance the arts.”
Orlando Family Stage’s Centennial Celebration Concert honored 100 years of the theatre with a star-studded evening featuring Broadway, television, and family entertainment performers, including Michael James Scott, Leslie Carrera-Rudolph, Sofia Deler, Davis Gaines, Michael Andrew, and Paul Vogt, along with additional appearances and video tributes from notable stage and screen artists celebrating the organization’s legacy in family theater.
SVAD architecture students showcased their work during an evening celebrating emerging talent, which included a student showcase, scholarship awards, and a featured presentation by Ellen Mitchell, Director of Sustainability and Applied Research at LPA Design Studios.
Music ensembles performed throughout UCF Celebrates the Arts, showcasing a range of student and faculty musicians across the festival. From intimate events like the New Music Ensemble’s Zodiac to the large ensembles like orchestra and bands, these concerts ensure that all UCF musicians have an opportunity to perform on a professional, world-class stage.
“Everything is done so professionally, and it is a great experience for the students to work and perform in that space.”
A Korean Arirang Festival brought new audiences and high energy to the festival. Hosted by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, this popular dance event showcased how the arts can engage all students – not only the ones preparing for careers in the industry.
New for 2026, free preshow concerts in the lobby created ambiance and provided another outlet for smaller ensembles to perform.
“We were pleasantly surprised with the lobby percussion and saxophone ensembles. That was an incentive to go early.”
Graduating musical theatre students performed in Knight to Shine, a cabaret-style showcase featuring vignettes of contemporary musical theatre, popular music, and Broadway selections, highlighting the training and versatility of the BFA Musical Theatre Class of 2026.
“Your KNIGHT TO SHINE event is our favorite each year. It’s so wonderful to see the excellent caliber of graduating performers that UCF is developing.”
The dance concert, “Dancing Beyond the Stars,” showcased students, alumni, and faculty choreographers and performers presenting original work that blended technical training with creative expression and storytelling through movement.
Intertwined with the performing and visual arts events, events featuring the university’s humanities disciplines bring depth and variety to the festival – a feature that many patrons enjoy.
“I let each of my 3 teens choose something, and they all found at least 1 thing that interested them.”
English alumnus Jaroslav Kalfar spoke about his novel Spaceman of Bohemia which has been turned into a major feature film starring Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan. Additionally, the department hosted Write of Passage to showcase the work of graduating creative writing students, featuring original student writing that highlighted storytelling, voice and narrative craft.
Project Spotlight, UCF’s student-run developmental theatre organization, presented a new student-written play, highlighting original work created and developed by students from across disciplines and the organization’s focus on fostering new theatrical voices and collaborative production.
At Exceptional Knights, the UCF Concert Band performed a themed program while music education students served as guides and performers, creating an interactive and accessible concert experience designed for audiences of all abilities and needs. This free concert saw record numbers, with many attendees joining with extended family members or as part of school field trips.
“My ESE students … attended the Exceptional Knights Concert as a field trip. I cannot say enough about how incredible this was for them and how much they enjoyed it. The concert was interactive and engaging and it was so wonderful for them to get a sensory-friendly and accepting musical experience.”
School of Visual Arts and Design students participated in Creative Clash, a timed live event where artists, armed with only markers, go head-to-head in a fast-paced battle to create striking large-format artwork, with the theme revealed seconds before they begin.
“A fantastic representation of the high quality education the students receive and how passionate the student are about the arts.”
SVAD graphic design graduating seniors presented their work at the Graphic Design Showcase, followed by a discussion highlighting their projects and creative career pathways in arts and design.
“I brought my grandson and his parents to the event because I wanted my grandson to see what he could possibly do with graphic arts. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and he is now definitely looking to apply to UCF.”
Invitational events were held in bands, choirs, orchestra, and percussion, bringing more than 2,000 middle and high school students to the festival. During the UCF Choir Invitational, guest choirs from across Florida came together for a mass choir experience under the direction of UCF voice faculty, performing as a unified ensemble and showcasing large-scale student collaboration in vocal performance.
UCF Opera presented two chamber operas in one production, highlighting student vocalists in a professional operatic performance for festival audiences.
SVAD Character Animation and Animation and Visual Effects students presented their 2D and 3D animated films at the Animation Showcase, followed by a Q&A with students and alumni about their work and professional careers.
“Every year this event makes me proud to be an Alumknight.”