About Us

MISSION

MISSION

To present performing and media arts that engage, energize, and transform the diverse cultural life of the University and San Diego.

VISION

To develop more empathetic students and community members that are better prepared to engage in the world around them through their participation in high quality artistic programs that broaden thinking and awareness, deepen understanding, and encourage new dialogues across UC San Diego and the community.

A wide-angle view from behind a large audience of students, most wearing red uniforms, seated in a darkened auditorium and facing a stage. The stage is dimly lit with musical instruments and equipment visible, and a few figures standing to the right. On either side of the stage, the red velvet curtains are illuminated by heart-shaped projections featuring the word "art" in white.

WELCOME

Welcome to the
2025–26 ArtPower Season

Dear Friends,

We’re so excited to be sharing ArtPower’s upcoming, year-round season with you.

At its core, ArtPower has always been about connection—the powerful bonds between artists and audiences, the exchange of ideas between artists and students, and the meaningful interactions among audience members themselves. Our programs are designed to foster and deepen all of these connections, creating experiences that resonate long after the performance ends.

Building on this spirit of connection, ArtPower is proud to be part of UC San Diego’s ArtsConnect—the Chancellor’s arts initiative led by Vice Chancellor Alysson Satterlund (Student Affairs and Campus Life) and Dean Cristina Della Coletta (School of Arts and Humanities). Our campus has long offered a rich array of world-class arts programs. This initiative  not only celebrates those offerings but connects them more fully—to each other, to students, and to the broader community.

This season, we’re thrilled to bring world-class artists to our stages and the greater San Diego region. And we’re just as committed to what happens beyond the stage. Whether it’s ArtTalks before chamber concerts, artist-led workshops in classrooms, or K–12 matinees that spark inspiration—ArtPower creates moments of engagement that last well beyond the final bow.

From the exhilarating jazz of Nate Smith and Keyon Harrold to the global rhythms of DakhaBrakha; from the elegance of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble to the joy of family programming like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!; from the wit and innovation of Reggie Watts to the voice of food writer Priya Krishna—this season offers something for everyone. These events are just a glimpse of what’s ahead—there is so much more to discover within these pages.

And the more you experience with us, the more you save. When you purchase tickets to multiple performances, you’ll receive deeper discounts. Not sure where to begin? We’ve curated themed packages to help get you started—whether sampling “A Taste of ArtPower” or diving into the “Adventure Package,” there’s a path for everyone.

We can’t wait to see you at an upcoming performance.

Colleen Kollar Smith
Executive Director

Liz Bradshaw
Associate Director of Artistic Planning and Outreach

Albert Agbayani
Assistant Director of Artistic Planning and Outreach

Four people pose together outdoors on the UC San Diego campus in front of wide, light-colored stone amphitheater seating. From left to right: a woman with curly blonde hair wearing a green jacket and jeans; a woman with glasses and dark hair wearing a pink blazer, seated on a stool; a woman with long dark hair wearing a striped blazer; and a man with short dark hair wearing a brown cardigan. All four are smiling warmly.

A NOTE FROM THE CHANCELLOR
Since its inception, UC San Diego has nurtured a spirit of curiosity, creative problem solving, and diverse and inclusive collaboration to meet the needs of its campus and regional community. This ethos has created a
university evolving and transformed— a destination for globally ranked education, leading edge research, nationally recognized healthcare and world-class arts and culture. Our new performance venues and exhibit spaces, dynamic program offerings curated by ArtPower, and increased connectivity with the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley have expanded opportunities for deeper community connections and inspired artistic exploration. The result? Lively, engaging and exciting
cultural offerings that showcase the very best of our dynamic, multicultural region.

Our innovative arts and culture programming offer something for everyone. We invite you to join us soon to enjoy dance and musical performances at the Epstein Family Amphitheater, witness global music artists and up-and-coming jazz musicians at The Loft, or experience world-class chamber music and innovative artists through ArtPower’s programming. Wherever your curiosity leads you, we look forward to welcoming you to campus soon. Thank you for your continuous support of ArtPower and UC San Diego.

Pradeep K. Khosla
Chancellor, UC San Diego

UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla stands outdoors on campus, smiling warmly at the camera with one hand in his pocket. He has short gray hair and a mustache, and is dressed in a dark blazer over a white collared shirt. Behind him, the distinctive brutalist concrete curves of Geisel Library are visible, slightly out of focus.

STAFF

STAFF

Headshot of Colleen Kollar Smith, Executive Director of the Campus Performances and Events Office, smiling and wearing glasses and a denim jacket.

Colleen Kollar Smith, Executive Director, Campus Performances and Events Office

Headshot of Elizabeth Bradshaw, Associate Director of Artistic Planning and Outreach, smiling and wearing glasses with long red hair.

Elizabeth Bradshaw, Associate Director of Artistic Planning and Outreach
ebradshaw@ucsd.edu

Headshot of Albert Agbayani, Assistant Director of Artistic Planning and Outreach, smiling and wearing a black cardigan over a light shirt.

Albert Agbayani, Assistant Director of Artistic Planning and Outreach
aagbayani@ucsd.edu

Headshot of Joanna Christian, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, smiling outdoors with long dark hair and a floral top.

Joanna Christian, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
joanna@ucsd.edu

Headshot of Jennifer Mancano, Events & Performing Arts Business Manager, smiling with dark hair and wearing a teal top.

Jennifer Mancano, Events & Performing Arts Business Manager
jmancano@ucsd.edu

Headshot of Kathryn Sturch, Production Manager, smiling with short hair and wearing purple-framed glasses.

Kathryn Sturch, Production Manager
ksturch@ucsd.edu

Headshot of Alyssa Villaseñor, Marketing Manager, smiling with long wavy brown hair and wearing a white top.

Alyssa Villaseñor, Marketing Manager
alvillasenor@ucsd.edu

EMPLOYMENT

ArtPower supports the academic and career development of UC San Diego students through a variety of student assistant positions in programming, event management, marketing, production, and community outreach. For more information, email artpower@ucsd.edu.

A candid photo of a mixed-age audience seated in a theater with warm overhead lighting and deep red curtains in the background. In the foreground, several audience members are visibly smiling and conversing, appearing relaxed and engaged. The theater seating extends back into the frame, showing a full house

CONTACT

TICKET SALES: 858-534-TIXS (8497)
GENERAL INQUIRIES: ARTPOWER@UCSD.EDU

For Marketing/Press Inquiries:
joanna@ucsd.edu / 858.230.0943

For Development Inquiries:
artpower@ucsd.edu

For Box Office:
boxoffice@ucsd.edu

 

MAILING ADDRESS

ArtPower at UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive #0029
La Jolla, CA 92093-0029

A wide-angle, long-exposure night photograph of a bustling outdoor plaza at Price Center on the UC San Diego campus, filled with a large crowd of people, their motion blurred by the slow shutter speed, creating a sense of energy and movement. The scene is illuminated by vivid multicolored lights — greens, purples, yellows, and reds — emanating from surrounding buildings and installations. The distinctive glass-fronted Price Center building glows in the background, flanked by trees and additional lit structures. The dramatic cloudy night sky above adds to the dynamic atmosphere.