Summer at the Center Arts Festival
Mark your calendar for America 250: Voices of a Nation, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, starting June 11.
Summer at the Center Arts Festival is a celebration of Baltimore's vibrant artistic tapestry and the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC)'s long history as a part of it. Set against the backdrop of the Center for the Arts鈥� theaters, concert halls, galleries and dance studios, the festival showcases performances from Towson University alumni, faculty, and Maryland's professional arts community.
Summer at the Center Arts Festival 2026
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Towson University鈥檚 Summer at the Center Arts Festival presents America 250, a multidisciplinary arts and performance festival taking place June 11 鈥� July 11, 2026. This dynamic celebration explores the evolving American story through performance, visual art, film, and community engagement.
Coinciding with Juneteenth and Pride Month, the festival honors the struggles and triumphs of those who have fought 鈥� and continue to fight 鈥� for freedom, equality, and self-expression. Through these intersecting observances, America 250 amplifies the diverse voices and creative energies that shape our national identity and invites audiences to reflect on whose stories are told, remembered, and celebrated.
Vital Beauty - Narrative Through the American Body
June 12 鈥� July 11, from 11am 鈥� 4pm | Center for the Arts Gallery
The artists featured in Vital Beauty explore what it means to be in鈥攐r from鈥擜merica, and how this place鈥攊ts land, communities, and histories鈥攊mprints itself on the body. Through a range of artistic media, the exhibition asks: How does the individual body鈥檚 search for historical truth become embodied? Centering the experiences of Black people, these works weave narratives of resistance, endurance, and lived memory. Featuring work by DeVonn Caldwell, Zoe Charlton, Justyne Fischer, Shae McCoy, Taj Posc茅, Candice Tavares, VILLAGER, and Stephanie Williams. FREE. Opening Reception and Artists Talk, June 11, 6 鈥� 8 p.m.
People Get Ready: A Century of Posters Exhibition | A Visual Legacy of Black American Joy and the Struggle for Civil Rights
June 12 鈥� July 11, from 11am 鈥� 4pm | Asian Arts Gallery
For nearly a century, Globe Poster Printing Corporation鈥攐nce one of the nation鈥檚 largest showcard printers鈥攈as chronicled American music and entertainment through bold, iconic posters. Founded in 1929, Globe began by producing posters for vaudeville acts, movie theaters, drag races, burlesque houses, and carnivals, and later became renowned for its work with R&B, soul, and jazz legends, as well as gospel, rock, hip hop, funk, and go-go artists. This exhibition highlights the powerful visual legacy of Black American music and its deep connections to cultural expression and civil rights. FREE. Opening Reception and Artist Talk, June 11, 6 鈥� 8 p.m. with Lori Gale and Duke Zimmerman. Get details.
Eye Spy
June 12 鈥� July 27, from 11AM 鈥� 4PM | Holtzman MFA Gallery
In the Age of Immediacy, information flashes at warp speed, demanding our attention but providing little in return. Absorbing our world is often a thoughtless endeavor. What is attention without intention? How can we, instead, be present in ourselves? How can we not just look, but see? The classic child鈥檚 game of I Spy demands we stop, look closely, and find. Likewise, the exhibition invites us to linger, to look again, to notice what seemed invisible only moments before. The artists create immersive worlds full of color, sound, texture, and repetition. They build worlds full of whimsy and mystery. The work in Eye Spy observes itself as much as it is observed. What emerges is joyous clarity and peaceful interiority. FREE. Family friendly reception, July 24, 6 鈥� 8 p.m., open to the public, with a cookie reception, gallery games, and related art projects!
Drop-In Workshops: Community Art Project
Thursday, June 11, from 6 鈥� 8 PM | Atrium, Center for the Arts
Come out and play with us! Drop in and help create collaborative community artwork featured in the Holtzman Gallery as part of the Eye Spy exhibition. No prior art experience is needed. All are welcome! FREE.
1776: The Musical
Friday, June 12, at 7 PM & Saturday, June 13, at 7 PM | Mainstage Theatre
Staci Robbins, Director | Regina Carlow, Music Director
This fully staged production of 1776 reimagines one of America鈥檚 defining moments鈥攖he signing of the Declaration of Independence鈥攖hrough a bold, contemporary lens. Drawing inspiration from the acclaimed 2022 revival, the production features a multiracial ensemble of women-presenting actors portraying the nation鈥檚 founders, reclaiming a narrative historically told exclusively by men.
Presented with complete theatrical design elements that support character, storytelling, and dramatic action, 1776 places the music, language, and ideas of the nation鈥檚 founding in dynamic conversation with the present day. Through spirited debate, powerful performances, and a celebrated score, the production invites audiences to engage deeply with questions of democracy, representation, and whose voices are remembered in history.
The orchestra for 1776 is supported in loving memory of Jane Hoffman by Jill Strachan.
Love & Trouble
Sunday, June 14, at 1pm | Dance Studio Theatre
Founder, dancer, and choreographer Vincent E Thomas and his company VTDance present an afternoon of contemporary dance that explores human connection, resilience, and identity through movement. Love & Trouble is an intimate look into how we love and what our civic actions are to create a more just society.
A Patriotic Salute
Sunday, June 14, at 3 PM | Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall
The Towson Wind Symphony celebrates Flag Day with a festive concert of beloved American favorites. The program includes "The Star-Spangled Banner," selections from The Incredibles, Fantasy on 鈥淵ankee Doodle鈥�, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," "America the Brave," "The Washington Post," and more鈥攈onoring tradition, patriotism, and the rich legacy of American music.
Queer Film Festival
Thursday, June 18, at 7 PM | Recital Hall
A dynamic celebration of LGBTQ+ storytelling, the Queer Film Festival showcases powerful films from diverse voices across cultures and generations. Highlights include works by Kalima Young, Damn Y鈥檃ll Fine, and Be Steadwell鈥檚 Black Tea. From moving personal stories to bold, innovative shorts and documentaries, these films explore identity, love, resilience, and joy.
Join us for an engaging cinematic experience that sparks conversation, builds community, and highlights the creativity shaping queer cinema today.
People Get Ready: A Century of Posters
Friday, June 19, from 5:30 pm 鈥� 7 pm | Asian Arts Gallery and Atrium
Join Lori Gale and Duke Zimmerman, authors of People Get Ready, for a discussion of their new book of iconic concert posters and the profound connections between Black American music, visual culture, and the Civil Rights Movement. This talk explores how Globe Poster Printing Corporation鈥檚 work reflects the power of music as both artistic expression and social change. FREE. This event is part of Summer at the Center's Juneteenth Celebration.
August Wilson Celebration
Friday, June 19, from 7 鈥� 8:30 PM
This powerful celebration honors the life, legacy, and enduring influence of August Wilson, one of America鈥檚 most important playwrights and chroniclers of the Black experience. Through scenes, readings, panel discussions, and conversation, the event highlights Wilson鈥檚 monumental American Century Cycle, capturing the triumphs, struggles, humor, and resilience of African American life across ten decades. Rooted in community and collective memory, the August Wilson Celebration affirms theater鈥檚 power as a mirror of lived experience and a catalyst for understanding, connection, and change. FREE. This event is part of Summer at the Center's Juneteenth Celebration.
DANCE! Celebrate
Saturday, June 20, from 9 am 鈥� 2 pm | Dance Studio Theatre
Join us for a FREE Day of Dance! Step into the studio and experience the joy of movement. No experience and no registration required鈥攋ust come ready to dance!
With classes for everyone, you can explore: Parent & Me classes for little movers, fun classes designed just for Tweens, High-energy Family Hip Hop, and a variety of adult dance classes for all levels. You鈥檒l have the opportunity to see two performances from our spring dance concert. Whether you鈥檙e trying dance for the first time or returning to the floor, there鈥檚 a class waiting for you! FREE.
Rita Libretto Is: The Ring Cycle
Saturday, June 20, at 7 PM | Ruth Marder Studio Theatre
Rebecca Kidnie, Writer & Performer | Jessica Harika, Director | Co-Producer: River City Opera
Wagner鈥檚 Ring Cycle is often considered the pinnacle of operatic achievement鈥攂ut who has time for all four operas? In this wildly entertaining and accessible performance, Rita Libretto sings, narrates, and reenacts the entire epic using handmade sock puppets, audience interaction, and a healthy dose of humor. Whether you鈥檙e new to opera or a seasoned aficionado, this fast-paced and irreverent take offers insider jokes, dramatic highlights, and an unforgettable operatic adventure.
Opera, Broadway & the American Voice, with Maryland Opera
Sunday, June 21, at 3 PM | Recital Hall
Maryland Opera presents beloved selections from both opera and Broadway, performed by three acclaimed singers. In celebration of America鈥檚 250th anniversary, the program highlights work by American composers. Accompanied by Artistic Director James Harp at the piano, the performance includes engaging onstage commentary that brings the music to life. Expect timeless favorites, new discoveries, and world-class artistry.
Lily, Arthur
Thursday, June 25, at 7 PM & Friday, June 26, at 7 PM | Ruth Marder Studio Theatre
By Sache J. Satta
Set in 1943, Lily, Arthur follows Private 鈥淢ac鈥� McAllister, a young accompanist assigned to perform with Miss Lily Arthur, a singer entertaining the troops. Lily is, in fact, the alter ego of Captain Arthur Lily of the U.S. Army. When Mac is asked to create a female persona and perform a 鈥渟ister act,鈥� he becomes entangled in a complex romantic triangle involving Arthur and Captain Connie Heller of the Women鈥檚 Army Corps. The play traces Mac鈥檚 awakening as a proud gay man on the threshold of the postwar homophile movement.
Give My Regards to Broadway 鈥� A Tribute to the Great American Musical
Sunday, June 28, at 3 PM | Recital Hall
Join Carolyn Black-Sotir and American Music Theatre Artists for a rousing tribute to America鈥檚 greatest cultural treasure鈥攖he Broadway musical. Spanning more than 130 years, the program features work by iconic composers and lyricists whose music reflects the social, political, and cultural moments that have shaped our nation.
Steeped in the music, movement, and words of the American people, the Broadway musical is an essential part of our heritage鈥攃onnecting us to our past while offering insight into the present. The program traces the influence of immigrant communities and African American artists in shaping this uniquely American art form.
At a time when the nation remains deeply divided, Give My Regards to Broadway reminds us of the beauty and power that emerge when diverse voices, cultures, and ideas come together. Join Carolyn and company as they invite you to 鈥渃ome along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway.鈥� talking about her performance.
COFAC is grateful for support for Summer at the Center 2026 from:
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Maryland Arts Festival History: 1981鈥�2006
COFAC has a long and distinguished legacy in presenting performances, exhibits and cultural events for both the campus and the Baltimore metropolitan region.
While much of this presenting work is focused on student capstone experiences, the Center for the Arts is fully equipped to work with professional presenters within its state-of-the-art facilities.
From 1981鈥�2006, COFAC was home to the Maryland Arts Festival, a multidisciplinary summer arts festival producing or presenting professional theatre, musicals, chamber music, dance and film. The Maryland Arts Festival showcased performances like "Gypsy," "Ragtime: The Musical," "Cabaret" and "Forever Plaid."
2024 heralded the revival of summer arts celebrations at COFAC for the first time in nearly 20 years with the debut of the Summer at the Center festival.