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’ 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’s Summer at the Center Arts Festival presents America 250, a multidisciplinary arts and performance festival taking place June 11 – 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 — and continue to fight — 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 – July 11, from 11am – 4pm | Center for the Arts Gallery
The artists featured in Vital Beauty explore what it means to be in—or from—America, and how this place—its land, communities, and histories—imprints itself on the body. Through a range of artistic media, the exhibition asks: How does the individual body’s 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 Poscé, Candice Tavares, VILLAGER, and Stephanie Williams. FREE. Opening Reception and Artists Talk, June 11, 6 – 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 – July 11, from 11am – 4pm | Asian Arts Gallery
For nearly a century, Globe Poster Printing Corporation—once one of the nation’s largest showcard printers—has 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 – 8 p.m. with Lori Gale and Duke Zimmerman.
Drop-In Workshops: Community Art Project
Thursday, June 11, from 6 – 8 PM & Friday, June 19, from 5 –7 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
Regina Carlow, Music Director | Staci Robbins, Director
This fully staged production of 1776 reimagines one of America’s defining moments—the signing of the Declaration of Independence—through a bold, contemporary lens. Drawing inspiration from the acclaimed 2022 revival, the production features a multiracial ensemble of women-presenting actors portraying the nation’s 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’s 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.
Love & Trouble
Sunday, June 14, at 1pm | Dance Studio Theatre
Founder, dancer, and choreographer Vincent E Thomas and his company VTDance present an evening 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 “Yankee Doodle”, Lift Every Voice and Sing, America the Brave, The Washington Post, and more—honoring tradition, patriotism, and the rich legacy of American music.
People Get Ready: A Century of Posters
Friday, June 19, from 5:30 pm – 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’s 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 – 8:30 PM
This powerful celebration honors the life, legacy, and enduring influence of August Wilson, one of America’s most important playwrights and chroniclers of the Black experience. Through scenes, readings, panel discussions, and conversation, the event highlights Wilson’s 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’s 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 – 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—just 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’ll have the opportunity to see two performances from our spring dance concert. Whether you’re trying dance for the first time or returning to the floor, there’s 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’s Ring Cycle is often considered the pinnacle of operatic achievement—but 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’re 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
Summer Serenade features beloved selections from both opera and Broadway, performed by three acclaimed singers. In celebration of America’s 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 “Mac” 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 “sister act,” he becomes entangled in a complex romantic triangle involving Arthur and Captain Connie Heller of the Women’s Army Corps. The play traces Mac’s awakening as a proud gay man on the threshold of the postwar homophile movement.
The Margin is Now the Center: Contested Bodies on Screen
Saturday, June 27, at 7 PM | Recital Hall
The Margin is Now the Center: Contested Bodies on Screen is an exploration of Queer, Birthing and Marginalized bodies. This short film/video program will showcase work from artists and activists who are exploring what it means to be embodied and fully accepting of oneself during a time when marginalized bodies are actively being attacked politically and socially. In collaboration with Rooted, a black Queer healing collective in Baltimore, this three-hour event will include short film screenings followed by community conversations with the creators and activists focused on embodiment practices.
Give My Regards to Broadway – A Tribute to the Great American Musical
Sunday, June 28, at 3 PM | Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall
Join Carolyn Black-Sotir for a rousing tribute to America’s greatest cultural treasure—the Broadway musical. This extravaganza features classic works spanning 130 years by Broadway icons Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, Kurt Weill, Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers and Hart/Hammerstein, Arlen and Harburg, Dietz and Schwartz, Lerner and Loewe, Flaherty and Ahrens, Stephen Schwarz, Stephen Sondheim, and Baltimore’s Eubie Blake and Andrew Gerle. The show’s dramatic narrative and stunning images provide historical context, highlighting social, political, and cultural moments that have shaped our nation’s history.
Steeped in the music, movement, and words of the American people, the Broadway musical is an integral part of our heritage; it offers us a means of connecting with our past while lending perspective and understanding to the present. It gives voice to our diverse national community. The program chronicles the role played by Irish, German, Russian immigrants and African American migrants in the development of the American musical, reflecting the melting pot that is America.
In a time when the country is deeply divided along racial, economic, and political lines, this program serves as an important reminder of the power and beauty created through the acceptance and combination of diverse ideas and cultures and offers a better understanding of who we are and where we came from.
So, join Carolyn and Company as they invite you to “come along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway!”
COFAC is grateful for support for Summer at the Center 2025 from:
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Maryland Arts Festival History: 1981–2006
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 1981–2006, 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.