The Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture presents the Opening Reception for absolute alternatives, the 2026 Arts+ UMBC Faculty Exhibition. The reception will feature a performance of Dream Feed, composed by Zosha Di Castri, by flutist Lisa Cella and violinist Airi Yoshioka.
“I didn’t sign up to be a grant writer,“ says Andrew Simonet. “I wanted to be a choreographer. I discovered that, to make my work, I needed to find support and opportunities to present my work.” In this workshop, Simonet will share tools for grantwriting, finding performance opportunities, and more.
In the spirit of armchair travelers everywhere, the Voyager Ensemble explores a new culture each year by combining standard repertoire along with contemporary works by composers from the region. This year’s concert focuses on the United States and its 250th annivesary with directors Airi Yoshioka (violin) and David Yang (viola) joined by eminent musicians Lina Bahn (violin) and Jan Mueller-Szeraws (cello). Their program features the premiere of a work by Linda Dusman, a composition by Thomas DeLio, and George Crumb's electrifying Black Angels string quartet.
Join us for a talk on creativity by award-winning author, artist, and cartoonist Lynda Barry. Author of 21 books, Barry was the creator of the seminal comic strip Ernie Pook’s Comeek, and in 2019 received a MacArthur “genius” grant.
Lynda Barry leads a lively drawing jam for anyone who is interested in making comics. (Space for this workshop is now full!)
Founded in 2024 by conductor Kenneth Slowik, the Smithsonian Academy Orchestra is a resident ensemble of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society, a program of the National Museum of American History. The Orchestra’s repertoire ranges from Bach to Schoenberg, all performed on period-appropriate instruments, and in this program will present works by Haydn and Brahms.
View Full Event Details and Register for Smithsonian Academy Orchestra, Friday, February 20, 2026
The Social Sciences Forum presents a lecture by Melanie Killen, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology at the University of Maryland, College Park, who will speak on Creating Inclusive Classrooms in Childhood: Theory, Research, and Applications.
The Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity presents multi-disciplinary theatre artist Nikki Ann Hartman, who will discuss “Stages of Becoming: Putting Myself Together with Doll Parts…” The afternoon will feature a dramatic reading of Doll Parts…, a one--woman show by Hartman, followed by an open discussion Q&A session with the playwright.
The Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts (CIRCA) presents a talk by Eric Clark Jackson, an artist who explores the intersection of ecology and materiality, using fiber-based processes to construct an iconography of the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic region. Jackson is the 2026 Maryland Traditions Artist-in-Residence.
The UMBC Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Matt Belzer performs with Grammy award-winning percussionist Vince Cherico in a concert celebrating Latin jazz.
The Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture (CADVC) presents Creative Convergence: A Conversation with a Conductor and Curator. In this event, curator Maleke Glee and conductor Philip Mann will explore the shared and divergent philosophies that shape conducting and curating as creative practices. This interdisciplinary discussion invites artists across all mediums to engage in a collective dialogue on leadership, interpretation, collaboration, and creative process.
The Department of Music presents the UMBC Jazz Faculty Ensemble, featuring saxophonist Matt Belzer, bassist Tom Baldwin, and drummer Mark Merella. They will be joined by UMBC student Leo Hickman on mandolin. The ensemble will perform modern interpretations of classic and recent jazz compositions.
View Full Event Details and Register for UMBC Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Friday, March 6, 2026
The Maryland Music Educators Association presents the All State Senior Jazz Band. Students from across the state will be selected to participate in this concert by audition, and students from multiple county schools will be represented.
The Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts (CIRCA) presents Filipinx-American composer, percussionist, and sound artist Susie Ibarra, who will present her groundbreaking work at UMBC in a concert, spatial audio installation, and workshop.
View Full Event Details and Register for Susie Ibarra: Rhythm in Nature, Saturday, March 7, 2026
The Baltimore Classical Guitar Society presents Brazilian-born brothers Sérgio and Odair Assad, who have created a new standard of guitar innovation, ingenuity, and expression. During the 2025–2026 season, the Assads will celebrate their 60th anniversary as a duo. Their concert in Baltimore is part of their Farewell Tour.