Whether in the visual art gallery, the dance theatre, the concert hall, the recital hall, or the flexible theatre, a rich and diverse arts season awaits you.
Our vibrant arts community invites you to explore a diverse lineup showcasing the immense talent of our students and faculty. Whether you're a passionate arts enthusiast or a curious newcomer, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Discover upcoming events, reserve your tickets, and join us in celebrating the creativity and artistry at the Belhaven University School of Fine Arts.
Belhaven Arts Ablaze Schedule
Art + Design: Re:Collect – Permanent Collection Showcase
When: Show on display August 22 – September 18
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
“Re:Collect” features work from the Belhaven Art + Design Permanent collection. This diverse showing of art celebrates our alumni and our department’s rich history.
Art + Design: Emerging Artist Exhibition
When: Show on display September 26 – October 24. Closing reception October 24, 2-4pm.
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The 4th annual Emerging Artist Exhibition is a juried art show featuring the work of emerging local high school artists.
Dance: Project Dance Festival
An all-day open air dance concert that is free to the public featuring local and national dance artistry in ballet, jazz, modern dance, hip hop and tap. Dancers gather with a common vision: to bring hope and healing through the universal language of dance.
- When: Saturday, October 3, 10:30am-4:00pm
- Where: LeFleur's Bluff Complex at "The Den" Museum Drive at Riverside Park Circle Jackson, Mississippi 39216
Complimentary admission.
Art + Design: Robby Piantanida Retrospective
Masterclass
Gallery Talk
When: October 30, 10am-12pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
Process Demonstration
When: October 30, 2-4pm
Where: Student Center Theater
Robby Piantanida is an Emmy award winning, multi-disciplined filmmaker and artist. Piantanida will walk participants through his process for conceiving and executing the work in the Bitsy Irby Gallery.
Opening reception
When: Show on display October 31st – November 20th. Opening reception October 31st , 2-4pm.
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
Join us for an immersive visual and audio experience devised by Emmy winning filmmaker and alum, Robby Piantanida.
Art + Design: Music Improv
When: November 1, 3-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
Experience a live improvised score by Natural States as you view a special selection of episodes of Ambient Film, the Emmy-nominated immersive relaxation show airing on PBS.
Dance: Fall Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: November 5-7, 2026, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Once Upon a Mattress
Music by Mary Rodgers
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
Musical Direction by Chrissy Hrivnak
Choreography by Elle Ciccarone
- November 5-7 and 12-14; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- November 7 and 14; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
A timid prince with an overbearing mom. A visiting princess who is perfectly herself. And one tiny pea that changes everything. Once Upon a Mattress brings “The Princess and the Pea” to life with big laughs, bold characters, and a heroine unlike any other. Loud, fearless, and gloriously unrefined, Princess Winnifred barrels into a mid-century medieval kingdom and turns it upside down.
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, students, and BU Alumni.
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Dance: Emerging Choreographers Dance Concert
This event is produced by members of DOXA and highlights student choreography and performance.
- When: November 13 (Concert A) and November 14 (Concert B), Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Art + Design: Senior Show: Asha Clevenger, Kaleb Hall, Aurelia Myers, Hadley Palmer, & Knayo Williams
When: Show on display January 16 - February 5. Opening reception January 16, 2-4 pm.
Gallery Talk: January 25, 4-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Senior Exhibition is the culminating experience for our BFA and BA candidates. These students have worked hard to develop their own voices as artists throughout their coursework in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit serves as a launching point for professional practice and allows the students to gain practical knowledge of museum work through the curating and installing of their exhibit.
Art + Design:Senior Show: Cynthia Shoaff & Brittany Randolph
When: Show on display February 13- March 6. Opening reception February 13, 2-4pm.
Gallery Talk: February 22, 4-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Senior Exhibition is the culminating experience for our BFA and BA candidates. These students have worked hard to develop their own voices as artists throughout their coursework in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit serves as a launching point for professional practice and allows the students to gain practical knowledge of museum work through the curating and installing of their exhibit.
Theatre: Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
- February 18-20 and 25-27; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- February 20 and 27; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
Power changes hands. Honor masks ambition. And violence begets violence in William Shakespeare’s classic political drama Julius Caesar. With some of the most memorable lines in the canon, it’s easy to see why Julius Caesar remains one of the most widely read and performed of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The Ides of March are coming early this year. Join us February 18-27!
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, and BU Alumni
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Art + Design: Senior Show: Mae Gardner & Jillian Shepheard
When: Show on display March 20 - April 9. Opening reception March 20, 2-4pm.
Gallery Talk, March 22, 4-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Senior Exhibition is the culminating experience for our BFA and BA candidates. These students have worked hard to develop their own voices as artists throughout their coursework in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit serves as a launching point for professional practice and allows the students to gain practical knowledge of museum work through the curating and installing of their exhibit.
Dance: Senior Dance Research Presentations
Senior dance majors present scholarship, lecture demonstrations, and creative process discussions on topics from the field of dance and beyond.
- When: Friday, March 19, 2:30pm
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
Complimentary admission.
Dance: Senior Dance Concert
Senior dance majors present an evening of original choreography and performance, created at the intersection of scholarship and practice. This event is sponsored by DOXA.
- When: March 19-20, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Dance: Spring Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: April 8-10, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Art + Design: Annual Student Art + Design Exhibition
When: Show on display April 17 – Summer break.
Opening Reception and Open House: April 17, 2-4pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Annual Student and Art Design Exhibition features work produced within the past year by students in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit is juried and curated by the faculty and reveals the diversity and range of disciplines taught in the department. None of the work included in this show was made for a class, but instead reflects the vision and expertise developed by each student as they pursue their various disciplines.
Belhaven Arts Ablaze Schedule
Art + Design: Re:Collect – Permanent Collection Showcase
When: Show on display August 22 – September 18
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
“Re:Collect” features work from the Belhaven Art + Design Permanent collection. This diverse showing of art celebrates our alumni and our department’s rich history.
Art + Design: Emerging Artist Exhibition
When: Show on display September 26 – October 24. Closing reception October 24, 2-4pm.
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The 4th annual Emerging Artist Exhibition is a juried art show featuring the work of emerging local high school artists.
Dance: Project Dance Festival
An all-day open air dance concert that is free to the public featuring local and national dance artistry in ballet, jazz, modern dance, hip hop and tap. Dancers gather with a common vision: to bring hope and healing through the universal language of dance.
- When: Saturday, October 3, 10:30am-4:00pm
- Where: LeFleur's Bluff Complex at "The Den" Museum Drive at Riverside Park Circle Jackson, Mississippi 39216
Complimentary admission.
Art + Design: Robby Piantanida Retrospective
Masterclass
Gallery Talk
When: October 30, 10am-12pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
Process Demonstration
When: October 30, 2-4pm
Where: Student Center Theater
Robby Piantanida is an Emmy award winning, multi-disciplined filmmaker and artist. Piantanida will walk participants through his process for conceiving and executing the work in the Bitsy Irby Gallery.
Opening reception
When: Show on display October 31st – November 20th. Opening reception October 31st , 2-4pm.
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
Join us for an immersive visual and audio experience devised by Emmy winning filmmaker and alum, Robby Piantanida.
Art + Design: Music Improv
When: November 1, 3-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
Experience a live improvised score by Natural States as you view a special selection of episodes of Ambient Film, the Emmy-nominated immersive relaxation show airing on PBS.
Dance: Fall Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: November 5-7, 2026, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Once Upon a Mattress
Music by Mary Rodgers
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
Musical Direction by Chrissy Hrivnak
Choreography by Elle Ciccarone
- November 5-7 and 12-14; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- November 7 and 14; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
A timid prince with an overbearing mom. A visiting princess who is perfectly herself. And one tiny pea that changes everything. Once Upon a Mattress brings “The Princess and the Pea” to life with big laughs, bold characters, and a heroine unlike any other. Loud, fearless, and gloriously unrefined, Princess Winnifred barrels into a mid-century medieval kingdom and turns it upside down.
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, students, and BU Alumni.
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Dance: Emerging Choreographers Dance Concert
This event is produced by members of DOXA and highlights student choreography and performance.
- When: November 13 (Concert A) and November 14 (Concert B), Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Art + Design: Senior Show: Asha Clevenger, Kaleb Hall, Aurelia Myers, Hadley Palmer, & Knayo Williams
When: Show on display January 16 - February 5. Opening reception January 16, 2-4 pm.
Gallery Talk: January 25, 4-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Senior Exhibition is the culminating experience for our BFA and BA candidates. These students have worked hard to develop their own voices as artists throughout their coursework in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit serves as a launching point for professional practice and allows the students to gain practical knowledge of museum work through the curating and installing of their exhibit.
Art + Design:Senior Show: Cynthia Shoaff & Brittany Randolph
When: Show on display February 13- March 6. Opening reception February 13, 2-4pm.
Gallery Talk: February 22, 4-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Senior Exhibition is the culminating experience for our BFA and BA candidates. These students have worked hard to develop their own voices as artists throughout their coursework in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit serves as a launching point for professional practice and allows the students to gain practical knowledge of museum work through the curating and installing of their exhibit.
Theatre: Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
- February 18-20 and 25-27; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- February 20 and 27; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
Power changes hands. Honor masks ambition. And violence begets violence in William Shakespeare’s classic political drama Julius Caesar. With some of the most memorable lines in the canon, it’s easy to see why Julius Caesar remains one of the most widely read and performed of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The Ides of March are coming early this year. Join us February 18-27!
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, and BU Alumni
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Art + Design: Senior Show: Mae Gardner & Jillian Shepheard
When: Show on display March 20 - April 9. Opening reception March 20, 2-4pm.
Gallery Talk, March 22, 4-5pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Senior Exhibition is the culminating experience for our BFA and BA candidates. These students have worked hard to develop their own voices as artists throughout their coursework in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit serves as a launching point for professional practice and allows the students to gain practical knowledge of museum work through the curating and installing of their exhibit.
Dance: Senior Dance Research Presentations
Senior dance majors present scholarship, lecture demonstrations, and creative process discussions on topics from the field of dance and beyond.
- When: Friday, March 19, 2:30pm
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
Complimentary admission.
Dance: Senior Dance Concert
Senior dance majors present an evening of original choreography and performance, created at the intersection of scholarship and practice. This event is sponsored by DOXA.
- When: March 19-20, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Dance: Spring Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: April 8-10, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Art + Design: Annual Student Art + Design Exhibition
When: Show on display April 17 – Summer break.
Opening Reception and Open House: April 17, 2-4pm
Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Art and Dance Center, Bitsy Irby Gallery
The Annual Student and Art Design Exhibition features work produced within the past year by students in the Art and Design Department. This exhibit is juried and curated by the faculty and reveals the diversity and range of disciplines taught in the department. None of the work included in this show was made for a class, but instead reflects the vision and expertise developed by each student as they pursue their various disciplines.
For further details or reservations, connect with the department sponsoring the event or performance:
| Department | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing | rsmith@belhaven.edu | 601-968-8996 |
| Dance | dance@belhaven.edu | 601-965-1400 |
| Film Production | film@belhaven.edu | 601-965-7088 |
| Music | music@belhaven.edu | 601-974-6494 |
| Theatre | boxoffice@belhaven.edu | 601-965-7026 |
| Art + Design | visualarts@belhaven.edu | 601-965-1400 |
A Celebrated Haven for Arts Education
Only 39 universities in the U.S. are accredited in all major arts. Belhaven is one. That means master classes, great performances, and national competitions. When you study art, dance, music, or theatre here, you’re earning a degree from a nationally recognized school for the arts.
Verse of the Year
Go and make disciples of all the nations ... And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20