AMHERST, Mass. — The third annual UMass Spring Arts Festival kicked off March 24 and will run through May 9. The festival features a slate of free outdoor concerts, innovative visual and performing arts programming, and a series of open classroom courses and faculty talks.
A partnership between the Fine Arts Center and the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, the festival puts a spotlight on the university’s commitment to the arts, both student-focused and professional.
During the first week of the festival, the College of Humanities and Fine Arts will host a series of HFA Days, opening classrooms to the UMass community and the public to learn from the creative and scholarly work of HFA students, staff and faculty. Classes present on a range of topics including visual art, Afro-American studies, literature, linguistics, philosophy, and more. All are free and open to the public.
“The Spring Arts Festival not only underscores an important partnership between HFA and the Fine Arts Center, but it also showcases the immense talent of students, faculty, and staff in our community,” said Lupe Davidson, dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. “I am thrilled to continue HFA’s deep, important, and meaningful collaboration with the Fine Arts Center and encourage engagement from the entire university community.”
Fine Arts Center programming during Spring Arts Festival features ticketed performances — including an evening with actor and screenwriter John Cameron Mitchell on April 11 and a powerful performance by three-time Grammy winner Meschell Ndegeocello on April 24 — and a slate of visual arts events and talks.
The Fine Arts Center is also hosting two free outdoor concerts at the Southwest Residential Area beach. The free concert series will feature Skruple and The Baxbys on April 10, and South Pleasant Revival and The Greys on April 17.
“The Spring Arts Festival is UMass Amherst’s premier annual celebration of creativity, innovation, and bold artistic expression,” says Jamilla Deria, director of the Fine Arts Center. “The future belongs to creative leaders — those who innovate, experiment, and push boundaries. The arts drive innovation, and this festival showcases the extraordinary talent and energy that make our campus a dynamic hub for the next generation of visionaries.”
In addition to HFA Days, free concerts, and the Fine Arts Center’s season performances and programming, Spring Arts Festival events will include:
- Student Art Sale, an opportunity for students enrolled in art courses to develop valuable entrepreneurial skills while showcasing their artistic creations on March 28, noon to 4 p.m. in the Studio Arts Building.
- MFA for Poets and Writers’ Juniper Literary Festival, a two-day celebration of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction which features readings, panel discussions, conversations with agents and publishers, and conversations with literary artists on April 4-5
- Bach Festival and Symposium, presented by the Department of Music and Dance and featuring exceptional musicians and scholars of international stature, April 25-27.
- Xanadu, a musical of pure joy, silliness, and hummable tunes presented by the Department of Theater with showings May 2, 3 and 7 at the Rand Theater.
- The Fine Arts Center’s Spring Artwalk, featuring hands-on art activities, free snacks, and art exhibitions, Friday, April 19
- The Fine Arts Center 2024-2025 season closer, Grateful Dead keyboardist Bruce Hornsby and the expansive chamber sextet yMusic, will wrap up this year’s Spring Arts Festival on Friday, May 9.
A full list of events can be found here: umassfineartscenter.org/springartsfest25