About Arts for All

Advancing a campus culture where creativity fuels discovery, collaboration, community and social change.

The arts center us—in learning, in discovery and in action.

Housed in the College of Arts and Humanities, Arts for All is a campuswide initiative that invites the entire University of Maryland community to engage with the arts.

We believe the arts center us and open new ways to see and shape the world. By combining the university’s strengths in the arts, sciences and other disciplines, Arts for All advances social justice and helps address the world’s grand challenges. We infuse the arts into unexpected places and build a campus culture of creativity and innovation—empowering students, faculty, staff and community members to forge partnerships, launch cross-disciplinary projects and create transformative experiences on campus and beyond.

2021

President Darryll J. Pines announces Arts for All as a presidential priority in his inauguration speech.

2024

We introduced the inaugural Arts for All Fellowships to support faculty and graduate student arts-informed research, interdisciplinary collaboration and professional development.

2026

In its fifth year as an initiative, Arts for All now collaborates with over 100 departments, units and programs across campus and in the community.

The arts remind us of our common humanity by illuminating our diverse identities and stories, and moving us to better understandings of each other. To have an arts initiative so deeply integrated into our campus mission is a wonderful testament to the commitment of this university to creativity, imagination, innovation and community.

Stephanie Shonekan Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities

Who We Serve

A joyful participant dances enthusiastically at a NextNOW Fest 2024 silent disco, wearing wireless headphones and illuminated by blue and purple stage lighting with an illuminated building visible in the background. The crowd surrounding her also wears headphones while moving to their individual audio streams. The innovative event format creates a unique shared yet personal musical experience under the night sky.

Students

Students are the heart of the university. Arts for All connects them with the people and resources that will open up artistic possibilities.

Arts for Students

Four people gather in a bright lounge space for the Indigenous Futures Lab on November 3, 2023, sitting on gray couches with yellow pillows around a coffee table laden with snacks and materials. Feminism-themed posters decorate the turquoise accent wall while large windows overlook campus buildings. The casual meeting setup with candy bowl and comfortable seating fosters community dialogue and collaboration.

Faculty & Staff

Arts for All amplifies innovation and creates space for experimentation through its support of faculty and staff at Maryland.

Arts for Faculty & Staff

Student athletes mentor young children in a creative basketball art activity on a gym floor, painting colorful designs on basketballs and a large plastic sheet laid across the hardwood.

Community

Arts for All builds connections and fosters belonging through new artistic partnerships on campus, off campus and across the world.

Arts in the Community

Impact meets artistry

See how the arts transform and transcend–what will be your spark?

Get Inspired

Immerse yourself in the arts at Maryland

The arts are alive across Maryland’s campus—are you ready to explore?

Experience

Find your artistic perspective

There’s a place for everyone in the arts–how will you jump in?

Create

Since its launch in 2021, Arts for All at UMD has grown and strengthened a campus culture of creativity, innovation and problem-solving. This initiative delivers a powerful impact on our community, inspiring us and bringing us closer together as we take on the grand challenges of our time.

Dr. Darryll J. Pines President, University of Maryland