Through the arts, Our Lady’s University lives out its Catholic mission to educate the whole person and inspire lives of wisdom, compassion, and creative fidelity to God’s call. The Arts Initiative envisions a new era of growth in which the arts at Notre Dame become increasingly vibrant and visible to the University’s mission.
“At Notre Dame, we’re mobilizing the transformative power of the arts to advance knowledge, invigorate learning, and foster human solidarity.”
Michael Schreffler
Director of the Notre Dame Arts Initiative
Notre Dame recognizes the powerful, formative, and deeply Catholic tradition of the arts, which play an essential part in cultivating the mind and the heart. Financial barriers often prevent students from experiencing the transformative and ennobling potential of the arts to form moral vision and inspire human solidarity. With the generous support of the Cavanaugh Council and President's Circle, Notre Dame has launched the Arts Initiative, a new, long-term investment that integrates the arts more deeply into the life of the University and region informed by our Catholic character.
From artistic immersions, residencies, and study abroad opportunities, to national and global engagement with renown artists and practitioners, the Arts Initiative is building bridges to and from Notre Dame that will cultivate a vibrant ecosystem of artistic transformation, education, and formation.
Planning is underway for a six-month, campus-and-community Arts Biennial in Spring 2027, which will:
Establish Notre Dame as a flourishing destination for the arts and culture, elevated by the Catholic tradition.
Create robust opportunities across artistic disciplines that engage Notre Dame’s strengths, from the humanities to the sciences.
Form engaged citizens through active engagement across majors in the planning and execution of an international Arts Biennial in 2027.
The Notre Dame Arts Biennial is an international arts festival rooted in the creative spirit, intellectual energy, and iconic traditions of Notre Dame and our region.