Experience the Future of the Arts at CalArts’ Community Weekend April 26-28

Free public events include the World Music and Dance Festival and MFA Open Studios

Valencia, CA (April 18, 2024) — California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) welcomes the public to its campus for a weekend of music, art, dance, and performance Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28. The weekend features free concerts and art exhibitions, including the annual CalArts World Music and Dance Festival and CalArts MFA Open Studios.

The CalArts World Music and Dance Festival (2024 Trailer) returns April 26 through 28, bringing musical traditions from around the globe to Southern California. During one amazing weekend, audiences will experience a variety of world-class musicians and dancers at The Wild Beast stage on the CalArts campus. Since the early 1970s, this one-of-a-kind annual festival has brought celebrated international artists to perform with CalArts’ renowned World Music faculty and students. One of the first schools in the United States to offer degree programs in World Music performance, CalArts has a long history of nurturing traditional and new forms of music and dance from a variety of cultures.

Presented by The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, the 2024 festival features music from Iran, Bali, Indonesia, India, Ghana, West Africa, and Japan, as well as cross-cultural fusion from much of the rest of the world. This family-friendly event offers bench and lawn seating, perfect for picnicking. Concerts will also be live streamed via the CalArts Music YouTube Channel. 

In addition to the music and dance, visitors can shop for gifts, arts, and handmade items at the Artisan Market at the World Music and Dance Festival 2024 from 4 to 8 pm on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28.

On Saturday, April 27, the CalArts School of Art presents the annual CalArts MFA Open Studios. Taking place from ​​4:30 to 8:30 pm to coincide with the World Music and Dance Festival’s Saturday evening concerts, graduate students in the Art, Art & Technology, Graphic Design, and Photo & Media programs invite the public into their studios and workspaces to share ideas, works in progress, and experiments, offering a deep glimpse into the evolving practices of emerging new voices in contemporary art. Performance art and video screenings will be presented throughout the day.

Maps and signage will lead Open Studios guests on self-guided tours. Light food, refreshments, and a beer garden will be available on the patios outside. 

The World Music and Dance Festival performances and the Art MFA Open Studios are free and open to the public. 

Event Details

World Music and Dance Festival
Friday, April 26, 7 to 9-ish pm
Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28, 5 to 9-ish pm
The Wild Beast Amphitheater
Free
INFO

Artisan Market at the World Music and Dance Festival 2024
Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28, 4 to 8 pm
Outdoor patio adjacent to The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts/Graduation Courtyard
INFO

Art MFA Open Studios
Saturday, April 27, 4:30 pm
Graduate Art Studios
INFO 

Additional events can be found on the CalArts calendar.

All events take place on the CalArts campus, located at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, California. Free parking available.

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California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) has set the pace for educating professional artists since 1970. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions. As successive generations of faculty and alumni have helped shape the landscape of contemporary arts, the Institute first envisioned by Walt Disney encompasses a vibrant, eclectic community with global reach, inviting experimentation, independent inquiry, and active collaboration and exchange among artists, artistic disciplines, and cultural traditions.