The Arts at UMBC

A stage for the unexpected

UMBC is a transformative arts destination where innovative, collaborative research is displayed through live performances and showcases to challenge, enrich, and inspire. We invite arts enthusiasts in the Maryland-DC area and beyond to participate in and celebrate the breadth of creative work and cutting-edge research happening in the visual and performing arts disciplines at UMBC.

Events Calendar

Student Rush Tickets

Support Our Arts Programs

Located in the Baltimore–Maryland region, UMBC is a vibrant arts destination where bold creativity, innovative research, and live performance come together. From experimental theatre and boundary-pushing new music to contemporary dance and cutting-edge visual arts, UMBC offers dynamic experiences that challenge, inspire, and engage. We are committed to celebrating work produced not only by students, but also faculty, departments and centers, and special guests.

Academic Programs in the Arts

UMBC’s arts community is anchored by four academic departments, Theatre, Music, Visual Arts and Dance, offering students both Bachelors and Masters Degrees. We are one of the few universities in the region with an independent, accredited Department of Dance.

Top-notch Arts Facilities

At UMBC, students train in state-of-the-art facilities designed to prepare them for professional creative careers. From modern performance venues and rehearsal spaces to fully equipped studios and production workshops, UMBC provides hands-on access to industry-standard tools and technology.

UMBC's gallery walls featuring images from an exhibit called Flood Zone by Anastasia Samoylova

Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery

The gallery presents thoughtfully researched exhibitions and public programs drawn from UMBC’s Special Collections with particular emphasis on the history and cultural impact of photography.

Visit AOK Library Gallery

Arts exhibit at UMBC's CADVC gallery, featuring hanging work from the ceiling, and a large pink piece with painted eyes

Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture (CADVC)

CADVC is a forum for research, exhibition, publication, and public programming in the fields of art, design, and visual culture.

Explore CADVC Exhibits

digital illustrations of deep sea amoeba

Center for Innovation, Research and Creativity in the Arts (CIRCA)

The CIRCA is dedicated to promoting inquiry and experimentation in and across the Arts disciplines, supporting project-based research that leverages the arts to address pressing issues.

Learn More About CIRCA

a research participant testing out a VR headset game

Imaging Research Center (IRC)

The IRC advances creative research by uniting the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering through emerging media and technologies.

Learn More About IRC