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Art + Technology + Social Justice

The Arts for All initiative partners the arts with the sciences, technology and other disciplines to develop new and reimagined curricular and experiential offerings that nurture different ways of thinking to spark dialogue, understanding, problem solving and action. It bolsters a campus-wide culture of creativity and innovation, making Maryland a national leader in leveraging the combined power of the arts, technology and social justice to collaboratively address grand challenges.

EVENTS

Playing of the steelpan.

UMD Steelbands Concert

Dec 3, 2025
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

Enter a lively soundscape of vibrant rhythms and harmonies with the UMD Steelbands under the direction of Josanne Francis!

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Experimental Performance Series #2

Experimental Performance Series #2

Dec 6, 2025
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

A collection of self-produced works from undergraduate and graduate students in theatre and dance.

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NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Artwork

Submit Your Creative Work for the 2026 Sadat Arts for Justice and Peace Competition!

Apply by Spring 2026

Arts for All is now accepting student artwork for 2026 Sadat Arts for Justice and Peace Competition! Students can submit pieces in visual art, poetry, music composition, chamber music ensemble and film, a new category this year! Each category offers up to $1,500 in prizes.

Learn more & apply
A group of people participate in Lins Derry's rearch project on dance and data communication.

Announcing Our 2025-26 Faculty and Graduate Student Fellows

November 6, 2025

Spanning poetry, education, dance, AI, anthropology, music, data science and more, these cohorts of interdisciplinary researchers are leading the way in creating an arts-informed university.

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announcement

Apply Now to Attend the 2026 Emerging Creatives Student Summit!

Apply by November 27!

Arts for All is sponsoring four UMD students to attend the a2ru student conference this spring.

Learn more & apply
NextNOW Fest

Join the NextNOW Fest Team!

Apply by November 23.

Are you a UMD student with a passion for bringing people together through live music and art? Get involved in the performing arts at Maryland, and join the NextNOW Fest team! Clarice Presents is looking for Artistic Programming Fellows for NextNOW Fest 2026. Fellows are responsible for assisting Clarice professional staff in the design of a community-focused festival experience. 

Learn more & apply
Emily Davis.

What It Takes: Staging the Musical ‘She Loves Me’

October 21, 2025

Student actor, stage manager and costume designer pull back the curtain.

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Nikolas Francis.

Art and Science of the Brain’s Response to Sound

October 17, 2025

Neuroscientist-musician studies listening in lab, and practices it on stage.

Watch video

The Arts for All initiative seeks to ensure that the arts are woven into the very fabric of life at the University of Maryland...so the Terrapin identity is writ large and forged strong.

Portrait of President Darryll J. Pines
Darryll J. Pines President, University of Maryland

UMD School of Music student viewing a virtual reality opera thru VR goggles

Arts Improve the Student Experience

We are prepared to address the growing student and industry demand to integrate the arts into student life, both within and beyond the curriculum, helping students access and amplify their creative talents and fostering collaborative and innovative thinking to solve problems.

Student performance on stage

Arts Create an Inclusive Environment

We are harnessing the power of the arts to spark civic dialogue, increase community engagement and activate social change.

Immersive Media Design classroom

Arts Advance the University

We are accelerating innovation, discovery and insights through collaborations among the arts, the humanities and the sciences through research, creative activity and technological innovation.


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