UCF Celebrates the Arts: A Fusion of Creativity, Innovation, and Community Engagement
Dr. UCF Celebrates the Arts is an immersive and dynamic cultural extravaganza that fuses creativity, innovation and community engagement. This annual festival showcases the artistic prowess of UCF’s faculty and students and invites the broader community to enjoy performances, exhibitions, presentations and interactive experiences. UCF Celebrates the Arts is an annual event that serves as a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering creativity and innovation.
A Diverse Array of Performances
The festival boasts a diverse array of performances designed to appeal to a wide range of interests. The top young composers in the country converge in Orlando to hear their winning compositions performed by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Christopher Wilkins. The spotlight is on the graduating musical theatre students as they take the stage for an evening of cabaret-style performances. Enjoy readings from the graduating students of UCF’s creative writing MFA program. UCF Opera presents A Double Bill of Fun-two charming chamber operas performed in English, each brimming with theatrical flair, vocal brilliance and clever storytelling.
Experience Zodiac, a stunning new evening-length work by the UCF Composition Studio, performed by the UCF New Music Ensemble. Join Elle Woods, sorority sister turned Harvard Law student, on a musical journey to defy expectations. Presented as part of UCF Celebrates the Arts 2026 at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Follow playwright Heidi Schreck’s journey through the complexities of American democracy, gender equality, and the evolving interpretation of the United States Constitution! Originally produced by Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF, What the Constitution Means to Me will be presented as an enhanced staged reading at UCF Celebrates the Arts for the first time.
Orlando Family Stage presents Yo, Ho, Ho! Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go! is a 30-minute adventure with a pirate on the high seas following a treasure map. This show is created for 1 to 5-year-olds as an interactive, multi-sensory experience. For one night only, Cantos will be joined by UCF faculty musicians to perform an unforgettable mix of Spanish music and popular trombone standards. Experience an evening of extraordinary choral music as musicians from across UCF take the stage. Join us for a landmark evening as UCF’s choral department presents a magnificent display of vocal artistry.
Showcasing Musical Talent
The festival provides a platform for various musical ensembles within UCF. Led by accomplished violinist and UCF professor Ayako Yonetani, the Pegasus String Quartet is a graduate ensemble that performs the highest caliber of string music. The Amadinda Ensemble, made up of personnel from the UCF Percussion Studio and Percussion Ensemble, will perform traditional Ugandan melodies and rhythms for the Amadinda, a primitive African keyboard percussion instrument. The UCF Saxophone Ensemble will be performing original music written for the saxophone quartet as well as transcriptions from the Baroque and Classical periods. Led by Nora Lee Garcia, professor of flute, UCF's Flute Knights showcase the flute studio’s performance repertoire, including solos, duets, flute choir music and more. UCF's Clarinet Ensemble, led by Rie Suzuki, associate professor of clarinet, showcases the artistry of the UCF clarinet studio through dynamic performances of chamber repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries. From Gershwin to newly composed works by Harberg, the ensemble highlights the versatility, color and expressive range of the modern clarinet. Taught by Per Danielsson, Jazz workshop comprises junior and senior student musicians who focus on jazz improvisation, jazz repertoire and performance. The class serves as a workshop space, where course work taught in other classes such as applied lessons and jazz theory are performed live during class time and in concerts. Come experience a culminating jazz performance that showcases the students' hard work! Led by Luis Fred, associate professor of trombone, the UCF Trombone Choir performs a wide repertoire of chamber music and frequently performs in concerts throughout Florida. Led by Ben Lieser, hornist and professor, UCF's brass ensemble includes student musicians from the horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba and euphonium studios. Seven of Florida’s top middle school and high school orchestras have been selected to participate in UCF Orchestras’ annual invitational. Held in Dr. Philips Center’s world class performance facilities, students get the opportunity to learn from, and perform for, nationally recognized music educators.
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Art, Design, and Emerging Media
A showcase of graduating seniors from UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design’s Graphic Design track. Enjoy a series of award-winning animated short films created by students from UCF SVAD’s nationally ranked Emerging Media programs. The School of Visual Arts and Design’s Advanced Painting students create unique works for UCF Celebrates the Arts 2026. Encore! Explore the creative journey of 3D animation through the work of UCF SVAD students.
UCF’s Center for Research and Education in Arts, Technology and Entertainment (CREATE) will be presenting three exhibits including animation reels from CREATE’s Pre-College Summer Animation Intensives and two immersive VR experiences.
Interactive Experiences and Discussions
The festival offers interactive experiences and discussions on timely topics. Join UCF Philosophy for an interactive conversation on A.I. and Ethics. As we question the increasing use of A.I. The Human-in-the-Loop: An A.I. Join UCF students and faculty for an interactive performance exploring the cross-sections of human experience and artificial intelligence. Experience the vibrant world of Korean music, dance, and pop culture with the Korean Culture Club! Music and the Brain is an immersive event that brings together live chamber music by the Pegasus String Quartet and insights from leading scientists. When best friends Squiggle and Square move away from each other, they must find creative ways to keep communicating! Ever wonder how to navigate the world of show business while staying true to yourself? Join Women in Production Collective for a special panel discussion, "What, Like It's Hard?
Free Exhibits and Accessibility
Exhibits in the lobbies and public spaces at the Dr. Phillips Center during UCF Celebrates the Arts are free to view. Visitors can enjoy student and faculty art displays as part of the festival experience. The Dr. Phillips Center and other festival venues are ADA accessible.
Ticketing and Location
All performances and interactive events require tickets or registration. Check the full schedule for details and to secure your spot. Most events take place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Parking is available at nearby garages such as City Commons Garage and the 77 E. Jackson Street Garage. Students can get discounted tickets using the code knightcta26with a valid UCF or student ID at participating events.
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Support UCF Celebrates the Arts
UCF Celebrates the Arts is a resource-intensive initiative that impacts thousands of students. Your support is greatly appreciated - and needed. Individuals can make gifts to support UCF Celebrates the Arts (or other areas of interest) at foundation.ucf.edu/givenow. During the festival, we encourage you to give to the UCF Day of Giving - it helps us earn bonus funds, increasing the impact of your gift. We also work with corporations. If you would like to sponsor the festival, visit our sponsorship page for more information. Official photos will also be uploaded to the Passgallery after events.
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