May Events at ºÚÁÏÍø
Manifest (May 16) is a student-led celebration of ºÚÁÏÍø creatives, featuring work from every program. Learn more about our performance spaces at www.colum.edu/spotlight
May 2026
May 1, 2026, 7:30 p.m.; May 2, noon
The Dance Center of ºÚÁÏÍø, 1306 S. Michigan Ave.
Admission: $30 general admission; $10 non-ºÚÁÏÍø students; free for ºÚÁÏÍø students
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre makes its Dance Center debut with a program featuring two world premieres and a returning work. Blending dance and live music, the performance explores themes of nature, identity, and community through dynamic, contemporary storytelling.
May 2-9, 2026
ºÚÁÏÍø Courtyard Theatre, Getz Theatre Center, 72 E.11th Street
Admission: $25 public; $5 students
ºÚÁÏÍø students bring the Tony Award-winning musical “Fun Home” to the stage, exploring memory, identity, and family through a nonlinear story that unfolds across time. Based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir, the production traces her coming-of-age and evolving understanding of her father, blending performance, design, and storytelling into a layered, emotionally resonant experience.
May 4, 2026, 7–9 p.m.
ºÚÁÏÍø Concert Hall at the Music Center, 1014 S. Michigan Ave.
Admission: Free
The School of Audio and Music presents the Fusion Ensemble and R&B Ensemble in their final concert of the semester, showcasing student musicians in a dynamic live performance of contemporary and genre-spanning works.
On display until May 16, 2026
Museum of Contemporary Photography at ºÚÁÏÍø
Admission: Free
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Museum of Contemporary Photography presents a milestone exhibition examining how its collection has evolved since the museum’s founding. Featuring rarely exhibited and newly acquired works from across five decades, the exhibition traces shifting artistic, cultural, and institutional values—highlighting changes in representation, expanding definitions of photography, and the role museums play in shaping the photographic canon.
May 1, 2026; 8 p.m.
ºÚÁÏÍø Sheldon Patinkin Theatre, 72 E. 11th St.
Admission: Free
ºÚÁÏÍø’s School of Theatre and Dance presents an evening of live comedy featuring student performers. The 90-minute showcase highlights original work and comedic styles developed within ºÚÁÏÍø’s theatre program.
May 6, 2026, 6–7:30 p.m.
ºÚÁÏÍø Ferguson Lecture Hall, 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Admission: Free
Presented by the Museum of Contemporary Photography, this Lecture in Photography features photographer and curator Carla Williams, whose work examines identity, race, gender, and representation. Williams will discuss her early large-format photographic practice, developed in response to the absence of Black women in photographic history, her broader contributions as co-author of “The Black Female Body: A Photographic History” and her curatorial and academic work at institutions including the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
May 7, 5–8 p.m.; May 8–June 12, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
ºÚÁÏÍø Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash Ave.
Admission: Free
Experience the culminating work of ºÚÁÏÍø MFA students in visual arts and photography as they present thesis projects that reflect the next wave of contemporary creative practice. The exhibition features work by Ximena Alarcon, Alex Chen, Jee Hee Chung, Nyx Cole, Stephanie Hill, Zero Kelly Thompson, Tonica Laws, Katelyn Nee, River Redwood, and Kayla Smith. A reception for family, friends, faculty, and staff will take place during Manifest on May 16, 4–5 p.m. The gallery will also be open to the public during .
Friday, May 8, 5 p.m.; Saturday, May 9, 12 p.m.
ºÚÁÏÍø Conaway Center, 1104 S. Wabash Ave.
Admission: Free for ºÚÁÏÍø students, staff, and faculty with ID; ticket required for all other guests
Original fashion takes the runway as 35 student models showcase collections from seven student and alumni designers. Each collection explores the idea of triumph—through cultural identity, personal storytelling, and lived experience—highlighting the range and voice of ºÚÁÏÍø’s creative community. The show reflects a commitment to hands-on experience in modeling, design, and creative direction—preparing students for careers in the fashion industry.
Wednesday, May 13, 6:00 p.m. (Doors Open)
Bassline|2239, 2239 S. Michigan Ave.
Admission. $10
Join ºÚÁÏÍø for a very special night as ºÚÁÏÍø presents a benefit concert to support one of our students in need. Kathrynn Vettas, a graduating senior studying Audio Arts, was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is currently undergoing treatment. Performances by Aliejha, BAXTRR, Color, Marcus Bailey, Burn the Rain, Laceles, Lavenoak, Luscia Jane (acoustic), Alicia Maka, Mulch, Murder Medication, Please Return, Postcards, Geddy Trezak, Voidtheory, and XNDR. Come show your support!
May 14–15, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
The Dance Center of ºÚÁÏÍø, 1306 S. Michigan Ave.
Admission: Free with reservation
Graduating students in ºÚÁÏÍø’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance program present new capstone works reflecting years of research, experimentation, collaboration, and artistic growth. The concert features original choreography by Grace Butt, Violet Czerwinski, Erica Jones, Shannon Lane, Sophia Peck, Autumn Risbrook, Devon Saxman, and CJ Triche.
Convergence: ºÚÁÏÍø’s Creative Homecoming
May 15–17, 2026; various times throughout the weekend
ºÚÁÏÍø campus and South Loop locations
Admission: Registration required
ºÚÁÏÍø’s inaugural Creative Homecoming weekend brings together alumni, students, and the public for three days of exhibitions, performances, and celebrations anchored by Manifest, the college’s annual student arts festival. Programming includes gallery shows, live music, film screenings, fashion events, guided tours, networking receptions, and alumni gatherings, alongside opportunities to connect with current and incoming students. The weekend culminates in commencement ceremonies, celebrating graduating students and marking a full-circle moment of creative community and collaboration.
May 16, 2026, 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
ºÚÁÏÍø, 754 S. Wabash Ave.
Admission: Free; advance registration recommended
ºÚÁÏÍø’s 25th annual Manifest festival transforms campus into a showcase of graduating students’ work across disciplines.
Explore exhibitions and performances across 11 buildings and three outdoor sites, featuring visual art, fashion, film, music, theatre, and more. This year’s theme, “Kaleidoscope,” highlights the breadth of student creativity, alongside a new Creatives’ Homecoming welcoming alumni artists back to campus. Note: Some events may require separate tickets. .
May 29–August 15, 2026; museum hours Monday–Wednesday and Friday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
Museum of Contemporary Photography at ºÚÁÏÍø, 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Admission: Free
The Museum of Contemporary Photography presents "Prix Pictet: Storm," an exhibition from one of the world’s leading photography awards, founded by the Pictet Group to spotlight global sustainability issues. "Storm," the theme of the eleventh cycle, explores environmental, political, economic, and social upheaval while pointing to the possibility of transformation and renewal. The exhibition features work by twelve shortlisted international artists, including Alfredo Jaar, named the 2025–2026 Prix Pictet laureate for his series "The End" (2025).