HEART Fest (Humanities, Education, & the Arts)
HEART Fest is a dynamic, campus-wide celebration of creativity, connection, and discovery. Showcasing the energy of the humanities, arts, and education at Å·ÃÀAV, the festival brings together performances, exhibitions, and interactive experiences that highlight what our community is creating and exploring together.
Join us for HEART Fest, a vibrant, campus-wide celebration on April 23–24. Featuring student performances, exhibitions, workshops, and interactive events, HEART Fest is an opportunity to share your work, connect with others, and experience the creativity happening across Å·ÃÀAV.
HEART Fest is being brought to you by Å·ÃÀAV Co Lab, Communities of Hope Civic Media, and the School of Humanities, Arts, & Education.
Event Details
- When: April 23 & 24, 2026
- Where: Global Heritage Hall, Mary Tefft White, University Library, Quad, Performing Arts Center
HEART Fest Passport Challenge
Make the most of HEART Fest with our Passport Challenge. Grab a passport, attend events across campus, and collect stamps along the way. Turn in your completed passport for a chance to win prizes and discover something new at every stop.
Passports will be available to all students at check-in tables throughout the festival.
Schedule
Decolonizing Music
Department: Media + Design + Communication
Faculty: Christopher Anderson
Location: GHH 05
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
Recovering Thomas White: From Slavery to Freedom on the Sea
Department: History, English Literature, and Cultural Studies
Faculty: Rachel Cabral & Cindy Elder
Location: GHH Atrium
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Feminist Rhetorics
Department: Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition
Faculty: Dahliani Reynolds
Location: Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, University Library
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
America: The Reality & The Dream
Department: General Education, English, & Honors
Faculty: Christine Haverington
Location: Quad
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.
Students will lead a Privilege Line Walk, an exercise that encourages participants to reflect on their personal experiences with privilege in different aspects of life in America. This activity combines physical movement with introspection, creating a learning opportunity around identity, power, and privilege, and fostering awareness of systemic advantages and disadvantages. If time allows, students may introduce a second exercise based on another of their course activities.
HEART Fest Kick Off Ceremony
Department: The Co-Lab & Communities of Hope Civic Media
Faculty: Provost Everett, Dean Meriwether, Associate Dean Proctor, Prof. Jacobs, Prof. Emans, Abby Honey & Morgan Hague (performance)
Location: Quad
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Jr/Sr Dance Showcase Open Studio and Lecture Demonstration
Department: Dance
Faculty: Cathy Nicoli
Location: Downstairs Dance Studio, Performing Arts Center
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m.
A lecture-demonstration of dances created in the course, Performance Artist in Society. Students will explain their creative process and research, while also showing the end results. Many of the pieces involve themes relating to identity, relationships, and social issues.
The Library of the Early Mind - Film Screening
Department: Creative Writing
Faculty: Ted Delaney
Location: Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, University Library
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Screening of the 2011 film about children's literature, made by Prof. Edward Delaney and Å·ÃÀAV alum Steve Withrow '97. Features many prominent authors including the authots of such works as Wicked, The Giver, Tuck Everlasting, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Polar Express, Diaries of a Wimpy Kid, Heather has Two Mommies, Goosebumbs, Lemony Snicket, and many others.
Student readings sponsored by Title Wave
Department: Creative Writing
Faculty: Ted Delaney
Location: Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, University Library
Time: 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Title Wave, the student literary magazine of Å·ÃÀAV, presents a celebration of creativity. Students from creative writing and others majors wil read form their poetry, fiction and nonfiction works.
Windows and Mirrors: A Look into Us/A Reflection of You
Department: Visual Arts
Faculty: Beth Duffy
Location: Bristol Art Museum
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Reception for the Senior Visual Arts Exhibition
IncludeED Game Night
Department: Education
Faculty: Lindsey Pike
Location: GHH Atrium
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Teacher Candidates from EDU 361: Inclusive Practices will present and demonstrate inclusive educational games they have designed that are accessible for all students, including those with disabilities. After presentations, there will be free play of the games for all who attend in a "Game Night" atmosphere.
Using Writing to Improve Å·ÃÀAV's Campus
Department: Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition
Faculty: Catherine Capineri
Location: Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, University Library
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.
Fairy Tales & Feminism Relevance Project
Department: History, English Literature, and Cultural Studies
Faculty: Laura D'Amore
Location: Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, University Library
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m.
Students from CULST 373: Fairy Tales and Feminism present their analysis of the importance of reading fairy tales through a feminist lens to understand an issue of real world relevance.
Cabaret
Department: Theatre
Faculty: Robin Stone/Lori Lee Wallace
Location: Theatre, Performing Arts Center
Time: 2:30 p.m.
A performance from Å·ÃÀAV's production of Cabaret.
"A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" by Joshua Peak
Department: Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition
Faculty: Sarah Moon
Location: Theatre, Performing Arts Center
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Staged reading of a 20-minute comedic one act that satirizes present-day politics through familiar fairy tale figures like Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs.
Movies at the Muffin Screening
Department: Visual Arts & Creative Writing
Faculty: Anne Tait
Location: The Muffin
Time: 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
What Does HEART Mean to You? Activity
Department: Media + Design + Communication
Faculty: Denielle Emans
Location: Quad
Recovering Thomas White: From Slavery to Freedom on the Sea
Department: History, English Literature, and Cultural Studies
Faculty: Charlotte Carrington-Farmer
Location: GHH Atrium
Design Exhibition
Department: Media + Design + Communication
Faculty: Denielle Emans
Location: GHH Atrium
The Open HEART Project
Department: Media + Design + Communication
Faculty: Elaine Froehlich
Location: GHH Atrium
Students are each designing a font that they will use in a large poster design speaking about their experience in design (or other creative areas).
Hope Pod Live!
Department: Communities of Hope Civic Media
Faculty: Bernardo H. Motta
Location: WQRI
WQRI and Communities of Hope Civic Media will have a live coverage of the festival with news, activities, music & prizes.
Wandering Magazine by Poetry Studio
Department: Performing Arts and Creative Writing
Faculty: Renee Soto
Spring 2026 Poetry Seminar Work: Poems by our students will hang around in a display/wandering magazine format.
Drawing the Figure
Department: Visual Arts
Faculty: Michael Rich
Hawkward
Location: Quad
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Date: Friday, April 24
Abby Honey & Morgan Hague
Department: Music
Faculty: Liz Rosner
Location: Quad
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Date: Friday, April 24