Festival of the Arts

Friday, April 10, 2026

4:30-5:15 p.m. Creative Writing. Beckman Auditorium in the Ames Library. Joining their fellow artists in the College of Fine Arts, this year's recipients of the IWU English Department's creative writing prizes will present selections from their award-winning work as a lovely introduction to the Festival of the Arts.

5:30-7:30 p.m. Opening Reception. Joyce Eichhorn Ames School of Art and Design Galleries. Join us for cocktails and a warm welcome from President Zenger and J. Kline, Dean of the College of Fine Arts.

7:30-8:30 p.m. Wind Ensemble Concert. Westbrook Auditorium at Presser Hall. Come enjoy the wonderful sounds of the IWU Wind Ensemble through exploration of American composers, as we celebrate America's 250th Anniversary!

Saturday, April 11, 2026

9:00-11:00 a.m. Morning Coffee & Snacks. Presser Hall Room 161 Lobby. Kick off your day with some fresh coffee and light bites designed to help you wake up, refuel, and spark new ideas. Come as you are and start the morning inspired.

9:30-10:00 a.m. Gamelan. Presser Hall Room 161. Professor Adriana Ponce will employ the School of Music's exceptional collection of our Indonesian Gamelan percussion instruments in an interactive experience - we'll start Saturday with a bang!

10:15-10:45 a.m. Design Thinking. Presser Hall Room 161. In a fun and interactive demonstration, Graphic Design Professor, Seulki Seo, will show us how design thinking is employed to reach optimal results in the creative disciplines.

11:00-11:30 a.m. School of Theatre Arts Senior Showcase. E. Melba Johnson Kirkpatrick Laboratory Theatre at Presser Hall. Our Musical Theatre seniors will show us why our program is nationally ranked, in excerpts from their Senior Showcase.

11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Celebration Lunch. Young Main Lounge at Memorial Center. Reconnect and reminisce with dear friends over a complimentary festive lunch.

1:00-1:30 p.m. Drawing. Joslin Atrium at Memorial Center. Visual Arts Professor, Amy Wilson, will show us that anyone can draw!

1:30-2:30 p.m. School of Art & Design Juried Student Exhibition and Senior Spotlight. Joyce Eichhorn Ames School of Art and Design Galleries. Join us for a celebration of our Senior School of Art & Design students. Explore the galleries and be inspired by original art in a variety of mediums.

2:45-3:30 p.m. Sitzprobe. Westbrook Auditorium at Presser Hall. Sit in with the orchestra at the final rehearsal for the School of Music and School of Theatre Arts collaboration. You'll experience what the musicians hear as they fine-tune for the performance.

3:45-4:15 p.m. Student Films. Beckman Auditorium in The Ames Library. A taste of some of our most exceptional student films from the past few semesters.

4:45-7:15 p.m. Festival of the Arts Dinner & 175th Anniversary Presentation. Young Main Lounge at Memorial Center. Join us for a landmark celebration honoring 175 years of artistic excellence at IWU! Enjoy a cocktail hour with featured musicians, Professors Ingrid Kammin and Cody Parrott. Gather with friends over a complimentary dinner, and celebrate the rich legacy and vibrant future of the arts.

7:30-9:30 p.m. Pride and Prejudice. Jerome Mirza Theatre at McPherson Hall. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. The Bennet family has five eligible daughters, none of them yet married. When new eligible bachelors come to town, Jane Bennet falls for the quiet Mr. Bingley, while Lizzy Bennet hates moneyed Mr. Darcy... or does she? Join us for a new adaptation of the Jane Austen classic. Festival of the Arts guests may attend free of charge with event registration. 

9:45-11:00 p.m. Cocktails and Karaoke. E. Melba Johnson Kirkpatrick Laboratory Theatre at Presser Hall. This is your time to shine. Take the stage, and sing your heart out. 

Sunday, April 12, 2026

9:00-11:00 a.m. Coffee & Curtain Call. Nell Eckley Lounge at Memorial Center. Gather with IWU friends, faculty, staff, and students as we toast the culmination of a weekend filled with inspiration, expression, and imagination.