1 2 3 4 / 4

January - June 2027

Microbial culture in a petri dish with vibrant yellow, intricate vein-like growths spreading over a greenish-blue surface. Multiple blurred dancers in dark dancewear move dynamically, their warm-toned bodies creating overlapping, ethereal streaks of motion against a pale background. A young man with glasses points up, looking intently at an art installation of numerous suspended white, reflective objects. A young woman beside him smiles while gazing up at the display. A hand plays a warm, reddish-brown cello with a bow. Vibrant blue, purple, and pink lights glow blurred in the background against a dark sky.

An international arts festival rooted in the creative spirit, intellectual energy, and iconic traditions of Notre Dame and our region.

A smiling woman with short curly hair and pearl earrings in a black turtleneck rests her chin on her hand.

Artist Talk | March 16

Carrie Mae Weems

Department of Art, Art History, & Design and the Arts Initiative

Woman with black braided hair, silver beads, freckles, red lipstick, and large silver hoop earrings, wearing a red collared shirt.

Panel | April 15

Zadie Smith

Franco Institute's Day | Merton Symposium

A Hubbard Street Dance Chicago dancer in a white top with black straps and sheer skirt bends in a dramatic pose, one arm raised.

Performance | April 15-17

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Presenting Series

A person sits mostly hidden by a large, silvery spherical speaker array, bathed in blue light on a dark stage.

2027: Symbiosis

The inaugural theme for the Notre Dame Arts Biennial, the flagship endeavor of the Notre Dame Arts Initiative is a call to action: to contemplate interdependence through the arts and create it together in practice.

Inspired by the scientific concept of symbiosis, the close and sustained relationship between two different species, the 2027 biennial invites audiences and artists into creative communion by studying, practicing, and experiencing the arts together. It calls upon individual talents to strengthen community through collaborative planning, it convenes audiences and participants through collective arts experiences, and it encourages global connections through cultural exchange.

The Arts Biennial is organized and produced by the Notre Dame Arts Initiative.

By transcending conventional boundaries — between art forms and across disciplines — the Arts Initiative mobilizes the transformative power of the arts to advance knowledge, invigorate learning, and foster human solidarity.

Learn more about the Arts InitiativeSign up for Arts Biennial and Arts Intiative News