The University of California, Davis, will host the Arts & Humanities 2025 Graduate Exhibition from June 5–22 at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art. The multidisciplinary showcase features 31 graduate students from art studio, art history, design, comparative literature, English, environmental science and policy, music, and performance studies. Works include photography, painting, sculpture, video, performance, and textiles, with live performances and awards on opening night. Participants explore themes such as human-technology relationships, environmental resilience, African diaspora, and emotional healing.
The exhibition matters because it highlights the critical role of arts and humanities graduate education at a time when the value of higher education is being questioned. By bringing together diverse disciplines and public engagement, the show demonstrates how artistic and scholarly work can foster dialogue, challenge assumptions, and envision sustainable futures. It also underscores UC Davis's commitment to supporting emerging artists and thinkers through institutional collaboration between the museum, the College of Letters and Science, and the Office of the Chancellor and Provost.