Come curious. Leave inspired.
For those near and far, we invite you to end the year with us through a range of events, performances, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. As you begin to shape your December plans, don鈥檛 miss the inspiring events still to come this November.
In addition,听.
ArtSci On Your Own Time
Henry Art Gallery Exhibitions Closing in January:
Influenced by non-verbal communication, Kim merges graphic and musical notation with American Sign Language. Her compositions uniquely address her experience as a Deaf individual in a hearing-centric society and broader societal influences on whose voices hold sway.
This presentation is the second rotation in a two-part series showcasing new additions to the Henry鈥檚 permanent collection. Artists featured in this presentation highlight both locally and globally recognized figures, including Sarah Cain, Fiona Connor, Demian DineYahzi鈥�, Mary Ann Peters, and Carrie Yamaoka, among others.
Spirit House investigates how contemporary artists of Asian descent challenge the boundary between life and death through art. A thematic exploration of the work of thirty-four Asian American and Asian diasporic artists, Spirit House asks the question, what does it mean to speak to ghosts, inhabit haunted spaces, be reincarnated, or enter different dimensions? Inspired by spirit houses, small devotional structures found throughout Thailand that provide shelter for the supernatural, this exhibition considers how art can bridge the gap between this world and the next.
Admission to the Henry is free to all visitors.
Podcast: 听(Jackson School of International Studies)
Launched in 2021 with 黑料吃瓜网 Professor Daniel Bessner and writer Derek Davison, 鈥淎merican Prestige,鈥� the winner of the 2025 Signal Awards “silver” medal, offers an in-depth analysis of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs, and has featured guests such as actor Morgan Spector and HuffPost senior diplomatic correspondent Akbar Shahid Ahmed.
Exhibitions in the Community: (Art + Art History + Design)
Eight students graduated in June 2025 with their Master of Fine Arts degrees and just a few months later, are already making impressive moves in their artistic careers with work being featured at the Tacoma Art Museum, 4Culture, and more!
Podcasts: (黑料吃瓜网 Magazine)
From Indigenous Jazz to conversations about how to live with uncertainty and discomfort without disconnecting from our shared humanity, listen to podcasts and radio shows from 黑料吃瓜网 alumni and faculty.
Events Happening in December
December 1 | 听(Music)
Phyllis Byrdwell leads the 100-voice Gospel Choir in songs from the Gospel tradition.
December 1 | (Slavic Languages & Literature)
黑料吃瓜网 professor, translator, and writer Jos茅 Alaniz discusses his latest book, Comics of the Anthropocene: Graphic Narrative at the End of Nature, the first full-length monograph to explore how US comics artists have depicted environmental destruction, mass extinctions, and climate change. He will be joined in conversation by fellow artists Megan Kelso, Leonard Rifas, and T Edward Bak.听Free.
December 2 | (Political Science)
The 黑料吃瓜网 Political Science Department welcomes Hayko Ba臒dat to the stage with 黑料吃瓜网 Professor Asli Cansunar for a discussion on minority rights, freedom of expression and belonging in Turkish politics today. Drawing on personal stories, they鈥檒l explore what it means to speak truth, to live in exile for that truth, and to carry both love and loss for a country from afar. Free.
December 2 | (Art + Art History + Design)
Our question to consider: What is the soundtrack to liberation? This year-long program series hopes to honor our commitment to social justice and to gather our community to think about the work of liberation through shared texts, art, film, music, conversation, and workshops. Unlike your traditional book club all the reading and study happens together, so no need to prepare.
December 3 | 听(Music)
A free lunchtime performance featuring 黑料吃瓜网 School of Music students in the North Allen Library lobby. Presented in partnership with 黑料吃瓜网 Libraries.听Free.
December 4 | (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
Part of Burke鈥檚 Free First Thursday series, the museum opens its collections spaces from 4:30 to 7:30鈥疨M. Visitors can explore behind鈥憈he-scenes labs and storage, and speak with researchers, staff, and volunteers about their work.听Free.
December 4 | (Simpson Center for the Humanities)
Over the past quarter-century, the Simpson Center has established itself as an internationally recognized model for leading-edge humanities research. Its work鈥攆rom scholarly gatherings to fellowship programs to publications鈥攈as been transformative for faculty, students, and staff at the 黑料吃瓜网. The new faculty director of the Simpson Center, Professor Lynn M. Thomas, invites you to celebrate the impact of the Center鈥檚 work and to raise a glass to honor Professor Kathleen Woodward鈥檚 legacy of leadership at the Simpson Center.听Free.
Online Option – December 4 | The Office of Public Lectures presents: Healthcare Where All Can Thrive: Advocating For Older LGBTQ Adults with Carey Candrian (Graduate School Public Lectures)
Healthcare can be challenging for anyone鈥攂ut for older LGBTQ individuals, the barriers are often deeper and more complex. This talk explores how thoughtful, inclusive communication can transform healthcare experiences, making every person feel truly seen, heard, and respected. Free.
December 4 | School of Music Performances
Free
Free
December 5 – 13 | (Drama)
Part farce, part protest, this sharp and timely comedy explores Capitalism and economic survival with wild humor and a lot of heart. Directed by Bradley Wrenn, as part of our Producing Artists Laboratory, They Don鈥檛 Pay! We Won鈥檛 Pay! brings riotous laughter to a situation that feels all too close to home.
December 7 | 听(Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
Join Cantus for a reflection on the meaning and joy of the holiday season with a program that the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune deemed “as joyful a celebration of the season’s spirit as any caroling party you’re likely to attend this year.”
December 7 | (Music)
The 黑料吃瓜网 Modern Music Ensemble (Cristina Vald茅s, director) presents diverse and innovative programming from the mid-20th century to the present. Free.
December 8 | 听(Asian Languages & Literature)
In this talk, David Spafford, Associate Professor of Premodern Japanese History at the University of Pennsylvania, takes a closer look at the complexities of sixteenth-century Japan and unpacks why this particular moment in history matters so much 鈥� and how the hit Shogun series does (or doesn鈥檛) help us understand it. Free.
December 9 | (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
Through a captivating multimedia performance, Feinstein breathes life into iconic songs, blending holiday classics and more. The concert includes a wide-ranging selection of favorites with melodies that promise an unforgettable evening celebrating the magic of the holiday season.
December 11 | (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
Dianne Reeves 鈥� one of the pre-eminent jazz vocalists in the world today 鈥� brings her fresh interpretations of Christmas standards to Meany for a night of holiday magic. Her brilliant virtuosity, improvisational prowess and unique jazz flair are showcased in a set of music from her celebrated album, Christmas Time Is Here.
December 18 |
Read the book ahead of time, or join to learn more about the selection. The听December book is The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Polly Olsen, Burke Museum Tribal Liaison, will discuss The Serviceberry and illustrate the book鈥檚 core concept, the gift economy. After the conversation, explore the museum on your own and see examples of lessons from The Serviceberry in the galleries.
December 18 – 20 | (Dance)
From improvisation and playful experiments, to a soft collision with movement, each work has a distinct choreographic style. The evening asks us to consider different modes of relation: between artists, across decades, in conversation with lineage, and with embodied inquiry. In collaboration with 黑料吃瓜网 Associate Professor Rachael Lincoln.
December 31 | (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
Enjoy fossilized fun at five drop-in stations designed for young learners ages 3鈥�8. Hold fossils and casts at the touch table, make scientific discoveries in the dig pit, create a craft to take home, and collect a new stamp each month in your Fossil Finders Passport.
ArtSci Roundup goes monthly!
The ArtSci Roundup is your guide to connecting with the 黑料吃瓜网鈥攚hether in person, on campus, or on your couch.
Previously shared on a quarterly basis, those who sign up for the Roundup email will receive them monthly, delivering timely updates and engaging content wherever you are. Check the roundup regularly, as events are added throughout the month. Make sure to check out the ArtSci On Your Own Time section for everything from podcasts to videos to exhibitions that can be enjoyed when it works for you!
In addition, if you like the ArtSci Roundup, sign up to receive a monthly notice when it鈥檚 been published.听
Do you have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Lauren Zondag (zondagld@uw.edu).