NextNOW Fest 2024: Handpicked Highlights From Curators

Student Entertainment Events (SEE) offers the long-running festival favorite "Silent Disc-Glo," a type of dance party where participants listen to music through wireless headphones instead of speakers. This year, SEE expands its offerings to include a Q&A event that Tyler Clifford, senior artistic planning coordinator at The Clarice, said is sure to be another NextNOW highlight. Elizabeth “Liz” Gillies, an actress and singer known for roles in TV shows like Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” and CW’s “Dynasty,” will share insights from her career and answer audience questions.

Galleries galore

UMD boasts a number of vibrant art galleries, and Megan Pagado Wells, co-director of artistic programming at The Clarice, said she’s thrilled that multiple exhibitions will be opening and on view during NextNOW. They include painter Dewey Crumpler’s study of shipping containers and tulips as objects central to the story of capitalism and the global transport of goods at the Driskell Center; Hana Ward’s painting, ceramics and printmaking delving into themes of personal, spiritual and environmental rejuvenation at the UMD Art Gallery; and multiple artists using mediums including animation, augmented reality, video and photography to reinterpret and understand the physical environment at the Stamp Gallery.

Also at the UMD Art Gallery, the Faculty Exhibition 2024 includes works that span painting, sculpture, digital and print media, graphic design and installation by nearly all faculty members from the Department of Art. Students can “see the creative research made by our faculty firsthand … and faculty can interface directly with the university community about their own research practices,” said Associate Professor and Department of Art Chair Brandon Morse. “Our faculty frequently exhibit their artworks, but not often in the immediate College Park area.”

A meaningful projection

The Departments of Art and Art History and Archaeology will project the abstract video work “Photon Motion” by artist Alyson Denny on the exterior of the Art-Sociology Building in the Clarvit Courtyard. Chair and Professor of Art History and Archaeology Karin Zitzewitz calls Denny’s work “equal parts gorgeous and analytical … combining her lifelong interests in art and science.” Denny is the daughter of longtime UMD art history Professor Don Denny.

Mario Kart competition with live music

What could be better than playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe alongside a bunch of friends inside Gildenhorn Recital Hall? Playing with a live ensemble! After coming across a video on Instagram of a similar event, Megan Foulk ’25, a communication major and NextNOW artistic planning fellow, wanted to bring the experience to the festival, so she contacted UMD’s Gamer Symphony Orchestra, the first collegiate ensemble devoted exclusively to performing video game music. At NextNOW, the orchestra will provide an epic soundtrack as players compete to outmaneuver and outpace their peers to cross the finish line first. “I think it’s going to be really, really cool,” said Foulk, who added that there will be free play after the competition ends.

An immersive experience

The “Submergence” installation by the U.K.-based collective Squidsoup immerses audiences in a mesmerizing display of thousands of suspended lights, creating a powerful sense of presence and movement within the physical space. “It’s ethereal and meditative … visually stunning,” said Pagado Wells, “and it totally transforms The Clarice's Grand Pavilion.” The 12-minute piece will run 10 times over two days.

WMUC Fest

Calling all indie and alternative music lovers: The university’s student-run non-commercial radio station will celebrate its third annual WMUC Fest at the NextNOW Main Stage. Local band God Forgive This Dog kicks off the evening, followed by They Are Gutting a Body of Water and feeble little horse, hailing from Philly and Pittsburgh, respectively. Olivia Mezzullo ’25, a government and politics major who is one of three students on the curating committee of NextNOW Fest, said she’s excited to help bring such a diverse range of music to this year’s event and to spotlight up-and-coming artists.

Buzz-worthy musical acts

Get ready to groove to a night of electrifying music by breakout artists. “This year's festival offers countless opportunities for music lovers,” said Clifford. NoSo, the genre-defying singer-songwriter, kicks things off with a blend of indie rock and dreamy pop. Next, Dreamer Isioma will take the stage with their eclectic fusion of R&B, pop and Afrobeat. Jordan Ward will close out the night with a mix of soul, hip-hop and R&B, leaving the crowd vibing till the very end.

NextNOW Fest is part of Terps After Dark, an initiative by the UMD Division of Student Affairs that supports late-night, alcohol-free, on-campus programming during the first six weeks of the fall semester.