Oxford University is preparing to launch a major new facility dedicated to arts, education and cultural activities.
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre, the institution’s newest combined academic and cultural development, will open to visitors on April 25.
To celebrate the launch, a full day of complimentary activities and live performances has been arranged, giving the public their first chance to tour the building and discover its varied offerings.
John Fulljames, who heads the cultural programme at the Schwarzman Centre, expressed enthusiasm about welcoming visitors, stating the facility represents a space where individuals from throughout the region and further afield can gather to explore contemporary human experience through the arts and humanities.
The opening celebration features music, theatre, dance, cabaret and additional entertainment, providing opportunities to engage with established narratives and creators alongside fresh and unexpected experiences.
The complex unites seven of Oxford University’s distinguished humanities departments within a single location, encompassing English literature, history, music and philosophy.
It also contains the Institute for Ethics in AI and the Oxford Internet Institute.
The building was designed by Hopkins Architects and became reality through a significant charitable donation from entrepreneur Stephen A. Schwarzman.
Alexandra Vincent MBE, the centre’s managing director, commented that the organisation is delighted to reveal this distinctive and vibrant programme, created by prominent artists and performers collaborating with Oxford researchers and scholarly expertise, for the centre’s opening.
She added that the centre looks forward to receiving audiences of varying ages and backgrounds during the April weekend and subsequent period.
The opening schedule will inaugurate the centre’s performance venues, including the Sohmen Concert Hall with its 500-seat capacity, which holds the distinction of being the world’s first Passivhaus-certified concert hall, denoting exceptionally low energy consumption.
The Scottish Ensemble will give a performance in the concert hall, while the Great Hall will present 360 Vessels, a new creation by artist Es Devlin and composer Nico Muhly, featuring chamber choir Schola Cantorum beneath the centre’s glass roof.
The new theatre space will debut with ZooNation’s dance piece The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, with additional performances from groups including Head over Wheels and Justice in Motion.
Modern digital installations by Anna Ridler and Refik Anadol, produced using artificial intelligence, will also be exhibited.
The centre’s wider cultural activities will be shaped with contributions from Schwarzman Centre Cultural Fellows, who are leading artists working alongside Oxford scholars to develop innovative projects.
The initial group of fellows includes Refik Anadol, Lil Buck, Anna Clyne, Bryce Dessner, Rhiannon Giddens, Taylor Mac, Sir Wayne McGregor, Suzan-Lori Parks, Anoushka Shankar, Kae Tempest and Nitin Sawhney.
Bloomberg-Oxford Fellows encompass Es Devlin, Hans Ulrich Obrist and creative studio Marshmallow Laser Feast.
Two substantial themed seasons have been announced for the 2026 programme.
Unfinished Revolutions, scheduled for May and June, examines the impact of the 1776 American Declaration of Independence and includes contributions from Cecile McLorin Salvant, Taylor Mac, Anna Clyne and street dance performer Lil Buck.
Utopia Now! in October and November will examine utopian concepts and future possibilities, featuring a new composition by Nitin Sawhney alongside a History of Utopia initiative curated by Brian Eno and Kim Stanley Robinson.
Additional notable occasions encompass an evening with poet and musician Kae Tempest, a new Headlong Theatre presentation of Karel Capek’s R.U.R., and a comprehensive day-long investigation of the psalms organised by Edmund de Waal.
Sigur Rós will partner with spatial sound specialists Loss.
Regional collaborations feature significantly, with involvement from the Leys Festival, dance organisation Body Politic, Oxford International Song Festival and early music group Instruments of Time and Truth.
Full particulars about events and reservation details can be found on the Schwarzman Centre website.