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University of California, Riverside

University of California, Riverside

Change Things arts installation at 蝌蚪视频 Riverside

Arts and Culture

Ray of Light

Immerse Yourself in Our Arts and Culture

At 蝌蚪视频 Riverside, we pride ourselves on our multicultural roots 鈥 and that extends to the richness of our arts and culture scene. In fact, we鈥檙e known as the City of Arts and Innovation. Both on campus and off, we offer everything from the visual arts to literary works and musical performances. So prepare to be immersed 鈥 and inspired!

Head downtown to stimulate your senses through the array of art exhibitions, films, events, and performances at . Here, you鈥檒l find the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts and the California Museum of Photography. With more than 500,000 pieces in its collection, the museum is the largest photographic center in the western United States, housing the region鈥檚 most comprehensive public camera collection.

Interior of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture

On the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Orange Street, you can check out our newest high-profile museum, 鈥 better known as The Cheech. The museum, which opened in June 2022, is a public-private partnership between the Riverside Art Museum, the City of Riverside, and comedian Cheech Marin. Visit to view, celebrate, and learn more about Chicano art!

Photo Credit: Riverside Art Museum

Students practice 鈥淢ountain and Water Remembrance Ritual鈥 during their class, Dance as Ritual

UCR offers a variety of dynamic programming 鈥 including dance, theater, and music 鈥 on campus and in downtown Riverside. First in the nation to offer a PhD in dance studies, today 蝌蚪视频 Riverside is the only University of California campus with PhD programs in dance and music.

UCR Writers Week

At 蝌蚪视频鈥檚 annual , the longest-running free literary event in California, you鈥檒l hear from renowned and upcoming authors. Students can also improve their literary skills through our 鈥 home to the only Bachelor of Arts in creative writing in the UC system and an MFA in creative writing and writing for the performing arts. Tom Lutz, award-winning author and founding editor-in-chief of the , is on the faculty!

Looking for more ways to engage?

Our 鈥 an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research support center 鈥 offers fellowships, research workshops, and public events to strengthen the academic, social, and creative life of the university and beyond. And through our , UCR students share their talents with our community via free arts outreach experiences in select schools, eldercare facilities, museums, and libraries.

On our vibrant campus, there are always opportunities to celebrate the arts and culture 鈥 from showcases by the to music festivals, film screenings, and other special events coordinated by our (ASPB).

And if you make it out to our annual Block Party, Spring Splash, or Homecoming concerts, be sure to bring your Highlander pride. You never know鈥 at some of these events you may even catch a performance by our very own .

 

Arts and Culture News

graphic novel pages
October 28, 2026
New graphic novel retells Emmett Till鈥檚 story
Growing up in Mississippi, graphic novelist John Jennings was deeply impacted by the horrific death of 14-year-old Emmett Till from an early age. Jennings, a 蝌蚪视频 Riverside professor of media and cultural studies, is helping to bring that story to a new medium with 鈥淔raming Emmett Till: Exposing Dark Fear,鈥 a graphic novel released Oct. 27 by Abrams ComicsArts through Jennings鈥 Megascope imprint. He formed Megascope in 2020 as a place to promote speculative and historical nonfiction stories about and by people of color.
Douglas McCulloh posing with photographs at a UCR ARTS exhibition
September 30, 2026
Exhibition celebrates California photographer's work
A new UCR ARTS exhibition showcases nearly four decades of work from late photographer Douglas McCulloh. 鈥淒ispatches: The Photography of Douglas McCulloh, 1990-2025鈥 opened on September 12 at UCR ARTS鈥 California Museum of Photography, or CMP, and will be on view until December 20. The exhibition brings together all his major projects, from early experiments to works that were still in progress.
Photograph shows Tom谩s Rivera at his desk at 蝌蚪视频 Riverside.
September 24, 2026
Giants of Chicano film, literature to headline UCR event
Two pioneering figures in Chicano cinema and literature will discuss their work and answer questions during the 38th annual Tom谩s Rivera Conference at the University of California, Riverside.
Photo of record jackets and CD cases.
August 14, 2026
Historian helps curate show on LA鈥檚 Eastside music scene
An expansive multimedia exhibition showcasing five decades of East Los Angeles music history is still on view at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, in downtown Los Angeles, but closes after Aug. 23.

 

Events

 

900 University Ave.
Riverside, CA 92521

Tel: (951) 827-1012

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