Carolina Performing Arts announces first ‘All. Together. Now.’ festival

Carolina Performing Arts at UNC-Chapel Hill has announced the launch of “All. Together. Now.,” a new multiday arts festival taking place Feb. 18-21, 2027.

Designed as a large-scale celebration of art, research and community, the festival builds on Carolina Performing Arts’ annual programming and will bring people together for four days of performances, conversations and creative experiences. The inaugural festival marks the launch of a new long-term initiative for Carolina Performing Arts and the first event of its kind at UNC-Chapel Hill, with plans to grow and evolve across the Triangle in future years.

“With ‘All. Together. Now.,’ we’re creating a concentrated moment that brings together creative, academic and community-driven work across Carolina’s campus and downtown Chapel Hill,” says Alison Friedman, the James and Susan Moeser executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts. “It’s about people gathering in real time in real life, moving between events, discovering unexpected connections and strengthening the bonds that come from shared experiences.”

Each year, the festival will be shaped by a curatorial focus — a central idea or question that guides programming, frames exploration and invites communal discovery. For its inaugural year, that focus is love and hope: a theme that reflects the festival’s belief in art as a force for connection, possibility and collective discovery.

“Love and hope are more than sentiments; they are commitments to the future,” says Amy Kolling, senior director of artistic and production for Carolina Performing Arts. “Artists and universities share a deep investment in asking big questions, nurturing society and creating knowledge that moves the world forward. The work is often done in service of a future they may never fully see. That spirit of building toward possibility is what makes love and hope such a fitting foundation for the festival’s first year.”

Festival programming will unfold across three distinct types of experiences throughout the weekend:

• Pass events, accessible through the purchase of a festival day pass, include full-length performances and special events spanning dance, theater, music, film and multimedia at venues across campus and downtown Chapel Hill
• Open gatherings, free drop-in experiences that invite participation and exchange — from open classrooms and ask-an-expert conversations to public artmaking, student showcases, research panels and jam sessions — developed in collaboration with campus and community partners like Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Research in Black Culture and History, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Ackland Art Museum, UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media and others
• Special presentation, a separately ticketed festival event designed to accommodate anticipated demand

To make attending multiple events more accessible, festival passes will be sold by individual day and priced to encourage exploration, with discounted rates available for students and UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff and alumni. The February timing is intentional, bringing energy during the late-winter season and creating a vibrant cultural moment ahead of spring events.

“Carolina has long been recognized for excellence in academics, athletics and the arts — each playing an essential role in shaping the life of this University,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “ “‘All. Together. Now.’ reflects that tradition, bringing artists, students, faculty and community members together across campus and downtown, highlighting the arts as a vital part of what makes Carolina such a dynamic place to learn, create and connect.”

The full festival schedule will be released mid-August. Those interested in attending, partnering, sponsoring, volunteering or learning more can find an interest form at carolinaperformingarts.org. Festival passes will go on sale mid-September.

For updates, visit carolinaperformingarts.org and follow @carolinaperformingarts on Instagram.