Center for the Arts

A group of George Mason University mechanical engineering students are building a motorized Vitruvian man for a Center for the Arts (CFA) performance of "Flying to the Stars," a choral concert dedicated to the beginnings of flight from the time of Leonardo da Vinci to the exploration of space. 

On April 13, the oldest modern dance ensemble in the country, Martha Graham Dance Company, returns to the Center with a program that celebrates the company’s 100th anniversary through iconic classics and new work. The spectacular program features pieces by choreographers Agnes de Mille, Jamar Roberts, and of course, Martha Graham, including a special performance by Mason School of Dance students.  

Right before Earth Day, Small Island Big Song presents a "jaw-dropping" (Billboard) concert experience at the Center for the Arts on April 20, combining music, spoken word, and stunning projections to showcase unique oceanic grooves and soulful island ballads, while shining a light on the devastating effects of climate crisis on our world’s oceans. As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Small Island Big Song will also deeply engage with the community through a series of education and engagement programs.

Culminating its second of three years in residence at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University, Silkroad Ensemble engaged with George Mason University’s campus, as well as the local Fairfax community, as Mason Artist-in-Residence in conjunction with its November 5 performance of the world-premiere program American Railroad.

HNRS 360 The Silkroad and the Railroad is the kind of course that could only happen at Mason. With artists-in-residence Silkroad Ensemble as partners, 25 Honors College students from 17 majors are exploring cultures and histories, music and narratives, impacts and legacies of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Each season, the Center for the Arts invites artists and ensembles with distinctive and innovative artistic voices to make George Mason University their home for a residency. The Center for the Arts is thrilled to present three 2023/2024 Mason Artists-in-Residence: Silkroad Ensemble, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, and Small Island Big Song.

Mason Artist-in-Residence Indigenous Enterprise Leads Events Across Campus and Community

Professors from Mason's Dewberry School of Music and Mason's School of Dance collaborated to create a performance that brought together dancers and musicians live onstage.

The GRAMMY Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble debuted their newest program, Uplifted Voices, at the Center for the Arts on January 29, launching their multi-year participation as a Mason Artist-in-Residence. Championing women and non-binary members of the Silkroad Ensemble, alongside special guest Tuscarora/Taíno musician Pura Fé, Uplifted Voices featured a musical tapestry connecting the sounds and rhythms of indigenous North America to the World. Silkroad Ensemble’s radical cultural collaboration seeks to build bridges of understanding to combat fear and build a more hopeful and inclusive world.

Silkroad Ensemble's performance on January 29 marks the launch of a three-year residency with the Center for the Arts, during which they will engage the community through a variety of events, classes, and discussions.