MacArthur Genius Taylor Mac to Speak at 2026 CalArts Commencement
A recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, Mac has earned widespread recognition for bold, genre-defying work that explores identity, history, and community.
VALENCIA, Calif., May 11, 2026 — The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is proud to announce that acclaimed performance artist, playwright, and musician Taylor Mac will deliver this year’s Commencement address on Friday, May 15 at 6 p.m.
The ceremony, which is designed entirely by graduating students, will celebrate the Class of 2026 and reflect the Institute’s commitment to artistic innovation and creative expression.
Taylor Mac
Taylor Mac is an internationally celebrated artist. A recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, Mac has earned widespread recognition for bold, genre-defying work that explores identity, history, and community.
Mac, who uses “judy” as a gender pronoun, was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award nominee for Best Play. Judy’s work has also been recognized with numerous honors, including the International Ibsen Award, the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Kennedy Prize.
One of Mac’s most ambitious projects is A 24-Decade History of Popular Music. The 24-hour performance piece examined American history through music from 1776 to 2016 and was widely acclaimed for its creativity and cultural impact.
CalArts’ Commencement ceremony will take place on campus, with open seating beginning at 5 p.m. The graduation processional will start at 6 p.m. For those unable to attend in person, a captioned livestream will be available.
For additional information about Commencement, visit calarts.edu/graduation.
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About California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts 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 champions 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.