UCF Celebrates the Arts - Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (2024)

One of Central Florida’s favorite cultural traditions celebrates tenyears!

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. With a focus on accessibility, partnership and diverse offerings, UCF Celebrates the Arts is a unique opportunity for the community to experience the creative side of UCF’s innovative spirit.

Tickets

Celebrate with us!

UCF Celebrates the Arts is designed to be affordable and accessible: nearly half of the events and all of the exhibitions are free. A ticket or registration is required to enter Dr. Phillips Center, however.

• Tickets for events with paid entrance areavailable for sale on the Dr. Phillips Center website.
• Free events are available to reserve starting February 16.

Scheduled Events

Schedule is subject to change.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 5:30 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Architecture Showcase and Awards Enjoy a full evening of student presentations, a talk with a nationally known architect, scholarship awards and more! Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall Knight to Shine 2024: A Musical Theatre Showcase The spotlight is on our senior Musical Theatre students as they take the stage for an evening of cabaret style performances! Thursday, April 4, 2024, 2:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Writing Our LIFE Stories In partnership with the University Writing Center and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, UCF LIFE writers will share their family history writing. Thursday, April 4, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room PRINT: The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree This interactive workshop offers an introduction to reading and transcribing letters from the past from UCF's PRINT project. Thursday, April 4, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Judson's Live Judson's Live/UCF Celebrates the Arts: Rhapsody in Blue UCF professor Sun-A Park and Orlando pianist Ammon Perry Bratt perform an all-Gershwin program to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Rhapsody in Blue. Friday, April 5, 2024, 6:00 p.m. • Della Phillips Grand Lobby Alumni Social Alumni, you're invited to join us for a special co*cktail reception that will allow alumni to view and experience all the exhibits and immersive experiences offered! Friday, April 5, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Write of Passage 2024: Creative Writing MFA Student Reading Enjoy readings from the graduating students of UCF’s creative writing MFA program. Friday, April 5, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall Feels Like Rain, Flying Horse Big Band plays Love Lost and Love Found Join UCF’s chart-topping Flying Horse Big Band as it surveys music of the amorous nature – American style! Saturday, April 6, 2024, 10:00 a.m. • DeVos Family Room Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go!: Theatre for the Very Young Bring the youngest theatre-goers to this interactive performance from Orlando Family Stage! Saturday, April 6, 2024, 1:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Poetry Reading and Book Signing by "Deaf Republic" author Ilya Kaminsky Award-winning poet Ilya Kaminsky reads selections from his book, "Deaf Republic." Saturday, April 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. • Seneff Arts Plaza Creative Clash FREE! Artists armed with markers race against the clock to create large-format artwork. Saturday, April 6, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall "Ode to Heroes" with the UCF Symphony Orchestra A vibrant program from the UCF Symphony Orchestra and its newly-appointed conductor Robert G. Hasty showcases heroism and how it is conveyed in music. Sunday, April 7, 2024, 1:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Performing Deaf Republic Join Theatre UCF for a theatrical adaptation of Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky, followed by a talkback with the creative team. Sunday, April 7, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall UCF Percussion Ensemble Get ready for an electrifying performance as the UCF Percussion Ensemble and alumni from the percussion studio take the stage for an evening of percussion music. Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 10:30 a.m. • DeVos Family Room Let's Go Camping! Join best friends Happy Camper and Fuzzy on a camping adventure, told through music, puppetry, and creative play! "Let's Go Camping!" is a 45-minute interactive play designed for 2- to 5-year-olds. Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 11:00 a.m. • Steinmetz Hall Inclusive Knights: Planes, Trains and Automobiles featuring the UCF Concert Band FREE! The UCF Concert Band provides an entertaining musical journey for people of all abilities and needs while music education students serve as guides to the experience. Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Guardians of the Stage: Injury Prevention and Wellness for Performing Artists Immerse yourself in an enlightening arts and wellness presentation! Dive into the intricacies of vocal health, find tactics to enhance your hearing and learn practices to prevent full body injuries. Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 8:00 a.m. • Steinmetz Hall Music for All UCF-Orlando Concert Band Invitational Top school band programs selected from throughout the Southeast perform throughout the day in the Dr. Phillips Center’s world class performance spaces. Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Remembering Florida’s Lost Boys - Stories of Our World War II Fallen Stories from the UCF Veterans Legacy Program bring to life the memory of Floridians who paid the ultimate price in service of their country and are buried in St. Augustine National Cemetery. Thursday, April 11, 2024, 7:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Rebuilding Notre-Dame: Five Years of Restoration and Discovery Learn about the history and post-fire rebuilding of the Cathedral of Notre Dame from art historian Jennifer M. Feltman. Thursday, April 11, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall A Celebration of Harmony: National High School Choral Festival in Honor of Dr. David Brunner Esteemed choral director Dr. David Brunner works with guest choirs and combines them in a Mass choir featuring some of his works! April 11 – April 14, 2024 • Walt Disney Theater Sweeney Todd A thrilling story set to music by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd captivates the audience by the emotionally stirring tale of Benjamin Barker, an exiled barber, who returns to 19th century London to settle a score with his nemesis and find his family. Friday, April 12, 2024, 6:30 p.m. • DeVos Family Room A.I. Across Creative Frontiers An enlightening panel discussion dives into the dynamic world of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on creative expression. Friday, April 12, 2024, 7:30 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall UCF Choirs: An Evening of Consolation and Hope featuring Brahms’ Requiem This choral program features UCF’s large choral ensembles as well as the UCF Symphony Orchestra and special guests in a diverse program including Brahms’ Requiem. Saturday, April 13, 2024, 1:00 p.m. • DeVos Family Room Florida Prison Education Project Talk  Learn more about the Florida Prison Education Project, an initiative by UCF to bring higher education to incarcerated persons. FPEP supports UCF’s mission by expanding educational access to increase retention and degree attainment. Sunday, April 14, 2024, 12:00 p.m. • Steinmetz Hall National Young Composers Challenge FREE! Hear Central Florida's finest musicians perform music written by the next generation of star composers for stage and screen.

Ongoing Events & Exhibits

Schedule is subject to change.

Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center 2+2+2 Architecture Showcase Showcase of work from the 2+2+2 architecture program featuring student work from students enrolled in UCF, UF and Valencia. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center UCF Animation Shorts Select animation shorts and reels from each of the animation tracks at UCF will be shown before various events throughout the week! Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center The Creative Side of Holoportation Technology at UCF See how UCF's holoportation technology works through appearances by community members, artists and health professionals. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center The Steampunk Menagerie Created by teams of students in 3D Design Fundamentals classes, this one-of-a-kind installation celebrates the victorian era with steampunk sculptural towers! Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center #Faces of Russian Resistance Art Exhibition This exhibition tells the story of sixteen Russian citizens who openly oppose the War in Ukraine. The panels tell their stories, share the laws under which they were convicted, and outline the terms of the sentences they received for fighting the regime, calling attention to the war, and for not remaining silent. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center 2023 Creative Clash View the pieces created at UCF Celebrates the Arts 2023, themed on pure imagination, on display in the center throughout the festival! Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center "Annihilation" Inspired Artworks Under the direction of Professor Nicholas Kalemba, Advanced Painting students respond visually to the award-winning novel "Annihilation" by Jeff VanderMeer.The compositions, painted with acrylics on canvas and wood panels, feature scenes, characters and themes inspired by the novel. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center Hospitality Art Exhibition The Hospitality Art Exhibition presents research findings on the effects of visual art on guests' attitudes and behavioral intentions in various hospitality settings. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center Rain Barrels from OUC's Water Color Project Rain barrels designed by local students as part of OUC’s Water Color Project, which teaches the importance of water conservation through art, will be on display throughout the center. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center Artful Moments Explore a selection of curated clips, interviews, photos, exhibitions, events and more from the School of Visual Arts and Design. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center Theatre UCF Student Costumes Exhibition Explore Theatre UCF's costume exhibition, a showcase of student talent spanning from the enchanting "Peter and the Starcatcher" to poignant "The Cherry Orchard" and beyond. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center Character Animation Posters Included in the collection are visual development illustrations from pre-production as well as 3D rendered images from production and post-production. Both films will be released in May of 2024. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center Dancing Danny This video essay by UCF Professor of English Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés was created from family photos and Super 8 footage; they document the performances of an immigrant, working-class family attempting a higher status. Ongoing • Lobbies and public spaces throughout the center 2024 Victorian Tableaux Vivants Tableaux Vivants are back for UCF Celebrates the Arts 10thanniversary!

Show Your Support

UCF Celebrates the Arts is committed to keeping all performances and exhibits free or low cost for the community. And with your help, we can do so every year.

About the Festival

UCF Celebrates the Arts is an annual event that serves as a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering creativity and innovation. By bringing together artists and the Central Florida community, we aim to inspire a collective celebration of the arts.