College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

Right before Earth Day, Small Island Big Song presents a "jaw-dropping" (Billboard) concert experience at the Center for the Arts on April 20, combining music, spoken word, and stunning projections to showcase unique oceanic grooves and soulful island ballads, while shining a light on the devastating effects of climate crisis on our world’s oceans. As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Small Island Big Song will also deeply engage with the community through a series of education and engagement programs.

Culminating its second of three years in residence at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University, Silkroad Ensemble engaged with George Mason University’s campus, as well as the local Fairfax community, as Mason Artist-in-Residence in conjunction with its November 5 performance of the world-premiere program American Railroad.

ARTS by George! returned on Saturday, September 30, 2023, hosted by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at George Mason University. The benefit event, which was headlined by GRAMMY and Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry, raised more than $275,000 for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts.

Mason Arts' “digital venue” is evolving once more with a new name for the online platform: Mason Arts Amplified. Formerly known as Mason Arts at Home, this curated collection features arts experiences, including digitally released performances, panel discussions, behind-the-scenes talks with artists, and more.

Prior to the special performance of Renée Elise Goldsberry in Concert headlining the evening, College of Visual and Performing Arts students showcase their talents in visual arts, music, game design, dance, and more. Read on to learn more about some of the stellar performances and experiences you can partake in when visiting ARTS by George!

Returning on September 30, ARTS by George!, an evening that showcases the remarkable talents of Mason students amid an array of spectacular food and beverages, culminates with a special performance by Broadway superstar Renée Elise Goldsberry in Concert. Best known for her Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning performance as Angelica Schuyler in the original cast of Broadway’s blockbuster musical Hamiliton, Goldsberry is anything but a stranger to New York City.

Culminating the 2022/2023 season at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University,  Indigenous Enterprise engaged with George Mason University’s campus as well as the local Fairfax community as a  Mason Artist-in-Residence over the course of the last week in April.  

The GRAMMY Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble debuted their newest program, Uplifted Voices, at the Center for the Arts on January 29, launching their multi-year participation as a Mason Artist-in-Residence. Championing women and non-binary members of the Silkroad Ensemble, alongside special guest Tuscarora/Taíno musician Pura Fé, Uplifted Voices featured a musical tapestry connecting the sounds and rhythms of indigenous North America to the World. Silkroad Ensemble’s radical cultural collaboration seeks to build bridges of understanding to combat fear and build a more hopeful and inclusive world.

Mason Arts at Home is an online platform and “digital venue” featuring curated arts experiences, including livestreamed concerts, releases of previously recorded content, behind-the-scenes talks with artists, and more.

Holiday roundup of Center for the Arts performances includes The 5 Browns, The Queen's Cartoonists, Vienna Boys Choir, and the American Festival Pops Orchestra.