U-M Launches Fall Michigan Arts Festival

The University of Michigan's inaugural Michigan Arts Festival will shine a spotlight on the vibrant arts scene at the university and invites students, faculty, staff and the public to engage with the arts through over 100 events, many of which are free.

The celebration—organized by the U-M Arts Initiative in partnership with U-M programs, units and other community partners—will run Sept. 25-Oct. 26, highlighting art of all mediums across U-M's Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Detroit and Flint campuses and at select community venues. Signature events will take place at the Michigan Theater, Hill Auditorium, Taubman College, U-M Museum of Art, Stamps Gallery, North Campus Diag, and more.

In line with the university's "Look to Michigan" campaign and its core commitment to infusing the arts into every student's experience, the Arts Festival sets out to prove that the arts are for all. The month-long festival is a snapshot of the vast amount of arts programming that takes place throughout the year, allowing visitors to discover and plan for the year ahead, creating new and sustained supporters of the arts.

"Campus surveys tell us that 70% of students want more art in their lives, and there are so many pathways for students to get involved," said Mark Clague, executive director of the Arts Initiative. "We brag, for example, that Michigan has more arts-focused student organizations than any other university in the nation."

Everyone is encouraged to participate with the opportunity to win prizes for attending events through a scavenger hunt-style initiative hosted on Goosechase.

Made up of one-of-a-kind performances, immersive experiences and unexpected collaborations, the festival sets out to encourage creativity, personal exploration and social connection.

The university prioritizes arts experiences in each student's education for the unique benefits they add to an individual's worldview and perspective.

"The way artists think—building on tradition with the imperative to be original—is a model of learning and invention that can help every student in every area of endeavor to thrive," Clague said.

"The arts are fundamental to all we do. They serve as a pathway to imagination and experimentation that stretches the mind of every student, staff and faculty member to embrace possibility, challenge presumed boundaries of knowledge, materials and technologies, and risk complete failure to do something rare and extraordinary."

Festival highlights include:

Sept. 25: Rhiannon Giddens, Penny Stamps Speaker Series

Grammy Award-winner and U-M Artist-in-Residence, Rhiannon Giddens, kicks off the Arts Festival with a Penny Stamps Speaker Series talk titled "Music of the American Underclass – What Really Made America Great." Michigan Theater.

Sept. 27: Stamps Gallery exhibitions

Stamps Gallery will debut "The Bureau of Personal Belonging," an exhibition from U-M Witt Artist-in-Residence Stacy Kirby.

Oct. 2: "Cabaret," School of Music, Theatre & Dance

SMTD's musical theatre department opens with "Cabaret," directed by Broadway's André Garner. Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre.

Oct. 2-8: Nigamon/Tunai, UMS

UMS presents "Nigamon/Tunai," a sumptuous, nature-inspired immersive theater experience telling indigenous stories of the Anishinaabe people of Québec and the Inga people of the Colombian Amazon. Part of U-M Climate Week. Power Center.

Oct. 16: Roger Reeves, Zell Visiting Writers Series

The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will host acclaimed poet and essayist Roger Reeves as part of their visiting writers series. Reeves, a finalist for the National Book Award, will participate in a reading and Q&A. Stern Auditorium, U-M Museum of Art.

Oct. 24: Feel Good Friday, U-M Museum of Art

UMMA kicks off its 2025 season of Feel Good Fridays. Open late and full of surprises, this series invites audiences to explore art, music and culture in a welcoming, high-energy atmosphere.