HARVARD ARTS FESTIVAL
Welcome to Harvard Arts Festival, May 1-4, 2025! Formerly Harvard ARTS FIRST Festival, this annual campus-wide celebration produced by the Office for the Arts at Harvard showcases the expansive creativity and innovation of Harvard students, staff, alums, and faculty.
Enjoy the dynamic imagination and cultural expression at the heart of this festival by visiting many of the university’s iconic indoor and outdoor spaces transformed by art making and open for all to explore. Year after year, Arts Fest draws 5,000+ audience members who are entertained, delighted, and inspired by the many art forms on display on outdoor and indoor stages, in Harvard’s museums, galleries, and classrooms, and across the green spaces of Harvard Yard.
Much of the festival is also live streamed on HarvardArts on YouTube.
For details on the Arts Fest Performance Fair on Saturday, May 3, review event listings in the College Calendar Performance Fair channel.
The festival is open to all, family-friendly, and mostly free. (Some ticketed events charge for admission.) The Office for the Arts invites everyone to join us at Arts Fest.
Welcome to the arts at Harvard!
Events
Other Calendars
Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Ancient Beacons Long for Notice
Thu, May 1, 2025 6pm to 8pm
Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall
TDM Spring Dance Production: Fat Tuesday & All That Jazz
Thu, May 1, 2025 7:30pm
More dates & times available
9 to 5: The Musical
Thu, May 1, 2025 8pm
More dates & times available
The Old Man and The Old Moon
Thu, May 1, 2025 8pm
Loeb Drama Center, Loeb Experimental Theater
More dates & times available
Organ Recital: Music of Burkhard Mohr in celebration of his 70th birthday
Fri, May 2, 2025 12:15pm to 1pm
Memorial Church, Memorial Church Sanctuary
Adore Short Film Festival
Fri, May 2, 2025 5pm to 9:30pm
Boylston Hall, Fong Auditorium
More dates & times available
The Methropolitan (ThropArts Showcase)
Sat, May 3, 2025 10am to 2pm
Winthrop House, Junior Common Room; Enter through G or H entry
More dates & times available
Music 189R Chamber Ensembles Performance: Students of the Parker Quartet
Sat, May 3, 2025 10:30am to 12:30pm
Memorial Church, Main Sanctuary
Speed Bumps, And Other Things Jesus Wouldn't Have Wanted
Sat, May 3, 2025 2pm to 4:45pm
Hasty Pudding Institute, Third Floor Stage
Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness
Sat, May 3, 2025 8pm
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on Facebook
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on Twitter
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on LinkedIn
GSAS Student Orchestra Spring Concert: Cubanismo Sinfónico
Sun, May 4, 2025 3pm to 5pm
Disrupt the View: Arlene Shechet at the Harvard Art Museums
Wed, Jan 1, 2025
More dates & times available
Exhibition: Encounters in the Americas
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 9am to 5pm
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
More dates & times available
From Stone to Silicone: Recasting Mesopotamian Monuments Exhibition
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Measuring Difference
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
More dates & times available
Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World Exhibition
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Recreating the Throne of Egyptian Queen Hetepheres Exhibition
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Joana Choumali: Languages of West African Marketplaces
Sat, Jan 25, 2025
More dates & times available
Colors of Tbilisi
Wed, Apr 2, 2025 8am to 7pm
Center for Government and International Studies North Knafel Building, Fischer Commons Gallery
More dates & times available
Free as they want to be: Artists Committed to Memory
Wed, Apr 2, 2025 10am to 6pm
More dates & times available
Alia Farid: Talismans
Wed, Apr 2, 2025 12pm to 4:30pm
Byerly Hall, Johnson-Kulukundis Family Gallery
More dates & times available
Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives
Mon, Apr 21, 2025 9am to 4:30pm
Schlesinger Library, Lia and William Poorvu Gallery
More dates & times available
Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?)
Thu, May 1, 2025
Harvard Yard, Near Holworthy Hall
More dates & times available
- Share Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?) on Facebook
- Share Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?) on Twitter
- Share Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?) on LinkedIn
Arts Fest Public Art: STRATA (There Are Always Tracks to Follow)
Thu, May 1, 2025
Harvard Yard, Near Matthews Hall
More dates & times available
Take & Give: Swap Boxes for Allston-Brighton by Brooke Scibelli
Thu, May 1, 2025
More dates & times available
Rooted in Culture
Thu, May 1, 2025 8am to 7pm
Center for Government and International Studies South, Concourse Level
More dates & times available
Visit Harvard Museum of Natural History
Thu, May 1, 2025 9am to 5pm
Harvard Museum of Natural History
More dates & times available
Visit the Peabody Museum
Thu, May 1, 2025 9am to 5pm
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
More dates & times available
Visit the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
Thu, May 1, 2025 11am to 4pm
Science Center, 1st and 2nd floors
More dates & times available
Visit the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
Thu, May 1, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Eliot House Spring Photography Exhibition
Thu, May 1, 2025 12pm to 4pm
Eliot House, Junior Common Room
More dates & times available
Gallery Talk: Activation of Moholy-Nagy’s Light Prop for an Electric Stage
Fri, May 2, 2025 12:30pm
The Methropolitan (ThropArts Showcase)
Sat, May 3, 2025 10am to 2pm
Winthrop House, Junior Common Room; Enter through G or H entry
More dates & times available
AFVS Senior Thesis Exhibition: Woosah
Sat, May 3, 2025 12pm to 5pm
Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts
More dates & times available
Unframed: A Queer Art Exhibition
Sat, May 3, 2025 12pm to 4pm
Memorial Hall, Cambridge Queen's Head Pub, Basement Level
The Little Living Room: An Invitation to Contradiction
Fri, May 2, 2025 3pm to 7:30pm
More dates & times available
Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness
Sat, May 3, 2025 8pm
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on Facebook
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on Twitter
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on LinkedIn
TDM Spring Dance Production: Fat Tuesday & All That Jazz
Thu, May 1, 2025 7:30pm
More dates & times available
Music 189R Chamber Ensembles Performance: Students of the Parker Quartet
Sat, May 3, 2025 10:30am to 12:30pm
Memorial Church, Main Sanctuary
Enoch Li '26 & Saman de Silva '26
Sat, May 3, 2025 2:30pm to 2:50pm
Harvard Art Museums, Calderwood Courtyard
Disrupt the View: Arlene Shechet at the Harvard Art Museums
Wed, Jan 1, 2025
More dates & times available
Exhibition: Encounters in the Americas
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 9am to 5pm
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
More dates & times available
From Stone to Silicone: Recasting Mesopotamian Monuments Exhibition
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Measuring Difference
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
More dates & times available
Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World Exhibition
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Recreating the Throne of Egyptian Queen Hetepheres Exhibition
Thu, Jan 2, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Joana Choumali: Languages of West African Marketplaces
Sat, Jan 25, 2025
More dates & times available
Colors of Tbilisi
Wed, Apr 2, 2025 8am to 7pm
Center for Government and International Studies North Knafel Building, Fischer Commons Gallery
More dates & times available
Free as they want to be: Artists Committed to Memory
Wed, Apr 2, 2025 10am to 6pm
More dates & times available
Alia Farid: Talismans
Wed, Apr 2, 2025 12pm to 4:30pm
Byerly Hall, Johnson-Kulukundis Family Gallery
More dates & times available
Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives
Mon, Apr 21, 2025 9am to 4:30pm
Schlesinger Library, Lia and William Poorvu Gallery
More dates & times available
Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?)
Thu, May 1, 2025
Harvard Yard, Near Holworthy Hall
More dates & times available
- Share Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?) on Facebook
- Share Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?) on Twitter
- Share Arts Fest Public Art: ¿Como que hay piñatas en el campus de Harvard? (Like there are piñatas on the Harvard campus?) on LinkedIn
Arts Fest Public Art: STRATA (There Are Always Tracks to Follow)
Thu, May 1, 2025
Harvard Yard, Near Matthews Hall
More dates & times available
Take & Give: Swap Boxes for Allston-Brighton by Brooke Scibelli
Thu, May 1, 2025
More dates & times available
Rooted in Culture
Thu, May 1, 2025 8am to 7pm
Center for Government and International Studies South, Concourse Level
More dates & times available
Visit Harvard Museum of Natural History
Thu, May 1, 2025 9am to 5pm
Harvard Museum of Natural History
More dates & times available
Visit the Peabody Museum
Thu, May 1, 2025 9am to 5pm
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
More dates & times available
Visit the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
Thu, May 1, 2025 11am to 4pm
Science Center, 1st and 2nd floors
More dates & times available
Visit the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
Thu, May 1, 2025 11am to 4pm
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
More dates & times available
Eliot House Spring Photography Exhibition
Thu, May 1, 2025 12pm to 4pm
Eliot House, Junior Common Room
More dates & times available
Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Ancient Beacons Long for Notice
Thu, May 1, 2025 6pm to 8pm
Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall
TDM Spring Dance Production: Fat Tuesday & All That Jazz
Thu, May 1, 2025 7:30pm
More dates & times available
9 to 5: The Musical
Thu, May 1, 2025 8pm
More dates & times available
The Old Man and The Old Moon
Thu, May 1, 2025 8pm
Loeb Drama Center, Loeb Experimental Theater
More dates & times available
Organ Recital: Music of Burkhard Mohr in celebration of his 70th birthday
Fri, May 2, 2025 12:15pm to 1pm
Memorial Church, Memorial Church Sanctuary
Gallery Talk: Activation of Moholy-Nagy’s Light Prop for an Electric Stage
Fri, May 2, 2025 12:30pm
The Little Living Room: An Invitation to Contradiction
Fri, May 2, 2025 3pm to 7:30pm
More dates & times available
Adore Short Film Festival
Fri, May 2, 2025 5pm to 9:30pm
Boylston Hall, Fong Auditorium
More dates & times available
The Methropolitan (ThropArts Showcase)
Sat, May 3, 2025 10am to 2pm
Winthrop House, Junior Common Room; Enter through G or H entry
More dates & times available
Music 189R Chamber Ensembles Performance: Students of the Parker Quartet
Sat, May 3, 2025 10:30am to 12:30pm
Memorial Church, Main Sanctuary
AFVS Senior Thesis Exhibition: Woosah
Sat, May 3, 2025 12pm to 5pm
Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts
More dates & times available
Unframed: A Queer Art Exhibition
Sat, May 3, 2025 12pm to 4pm
Memorial Hall, Cambridge Queen's Head Pub, Basement Level
Speed Bumps, And Other Things Jesus Wouldn't Have Wanted
Sat, May 3, 2025 2pm to 4:45pm
Hasty Pudding Institute, Third Floor Stage
Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness
Sat, May 3, 2025 8pm
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on Facebook
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on Twitter
- Share Kuumba Singers' 55th Annual Professor Hubert Walters and Mr. Robert Winfrey Spring Concert: A Light in the Darkness on LinkedIn
GSAS Student Orchestra Spring Concert: Cubanismo Sinfónico
Sun, May 4, 2025 3pm to 5pm