--- title: "NextNOW Fest 2025: Your First Look at This Year’s Highlights" date: 2025-09-09T05:30:00-04:00 author: University of Maryland canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/nextnow-fest-2025-your-first-look-at-this-years-highlights" section: Articles --- # NextNOW Fest 2025: Your First Look at This Year’s Highlights *September 9, 2025* — by [Jessica Weiss ’05](/author/jessica-weiss-05) > Arts Extravaganza to Feature 40 Free Activities, Performances, Exhibitions and More *Silent Disc Glo 26 1920x1080 — At the Silent Disc-Glo, a favorite at the annual NextNOW Fest, guests put on a pair of wireless headphones and dance to different beats in what looks like apparent silence. (Photo by Dylan Singleton)* Students don headphones and dance to wireless beats at a Silent Disc-Glo. A parked car becomes a collaborative canvas. Crochet circles, dance workshops and high-speed music-making turn campus into a hands-on arts playground. This year’s [NextNOW Fest](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/festivals/nextnow-fest), a weeklong arts experience kicking off Wednesday, welcomes the University of Maryland community to engage in creativity of all forms. From poetry lounges and student film premieres to gallery exhibitions and indie concerts, some 40 free events will unfold across The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering, the E.A. Fernandez IDEA (Innovate, Design and Engineer for America) Factory, the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, the Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building and beyond. Presented and produced by The Clarice, NextNOW Fest is a collaborative celebration built in partnership with UMD student groups, academic departments and local and touring artists. It’s also a signature event of the university’s [Arts for All](https://arts.umd.edu/) initiative. “There’s live art, music, comedy, workshops; it’s a great way to create memories and find your creative community—whether or not you think you’re ‘artsy,’” said Edna Adissu ’26, a computer science major and one of the students helping to organize this year’s event as an artistic planning fellow. “There’s something for everyone.” We caught up with some of the folks behind this year’s programming. Here are their can't-miss picks: *portrait of artist Spencer.* **Buzz-worthy musical acts** Get ready for two high-energy nights of breakout sounds. This year’s music lineup features the return of [redveil](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/redveil), the rising DMV rapper-producer whose soul-soaked beats and sharp lyricism have earned national acclaim. “His music and DIY spirit really reflect the hunger and passion of the DMV creative scene—and of NextNOW itself,” Adissu said. [Spencer.](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/spencer) brings his genre-blending style from Brooklyn, combining smooth vocals with jazz-infused production, while [WMUC Fest](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/wmuc-fest-six-foot-blonde-flowers-dead) returns with student-curated sounds from across the indie spectrum. This year’s lineup features Six Foot Blonde, a Midwest-born soul-pop band known for lush ’90s-inspired hooks, and Flowers for the Dead, a D.C.-based trio offering a fresh take on grunge with wit, heart and distortion pedals. **A film fest for the culture** Come for the red carpet, stay for the storytelling. Catch the premiere of short films by rising local storytellers at the [For the Culture Film Festival](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/culture-film-festival), presented by the UMD student groups Young Black Creative and Student Success Media. From one-minute shorts to documentaries and comedies, the festival celebrates student voices and bold creativity across genres. “This was something I dreamed about—giving young filmmakers a chance to showcase their work and reach the community,” said organizer Reece Amari Temoney ’26, a communication major and photographer who is part of Young Black Creative. The lineup includes films like “[Why I Bring My Camera](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM6rRhFMXKE/?igsh=MTN3ZXUzMmg1MXM5bg%3D%3D)” by Kedrick Glasper, a documentary exploring identity through the lens of friendship and sport, and “Rule #1” by cinema and media studies and information science double major Jeffrey Beamer ’26, which includes a Nerf gun cowboy showdown. **An evening of poetry and music** Presented in collaboration with Mind Matters, a student organization uplifting the mental health of students of color at UMD, this [intimate open mic experience](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/spit-evening-poetry-music-featuring-sol-chyld) blends poetry, rap and community. Headlined by New Jersey-based hip-hop artist Sol ChYld, the evening will also feature performances by artists girly!, ROSE and Fontana, inviting students and artists into a space of raw, unapologetic expression. “We’re creating something that feels like a cozy poetry-jazz bookshop: bookshelves, plants, couches, rugs,” said artistic planning fellow Gabrielle Tesheira ’26, a psychology major. “The line between audience and performer blurs. It’s about participation, not just performance.” *student skates at NextNOW Fest skate park* **A pop-up skate park** Whether you’re ready to drop in or just want to soak up the vibe, an [outdoor skate park and market](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/skate-park) will spotlight local skaters, vendors and creatives, with chances to shop from DMV-based artists and cheer on the action from the sidelines. “This year, skaters and non-skaters can celebrate the culture together by participating, watching or just hanging out,” Adissu said. “It’s beginner-friendly and super inclusive.” Hosted in partnership with UMD’s Skate Club, the event will feature demos, music, zines and plenty of opportunities to get involved—even if it’s your first time on a board. *artwork showing three women in colorful dresses* **Tag the Art Car** Grab a paintbrush and leave your mark at this interactive live art installation, where a real car becomes a collaborative canvas. Led by Baltimore-based graffiti artist and mixed media creator Mike Byson, the [Graffiti Art Car](https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/graffiti-art-car-mike-byson) invites festivalgoers to paint, draw and express themselves in front of The Clarice. “Graffiti is so often seen as taboo,” said Tyler Clifford, senior artistic planning coordinator at The Clarice. “This gives students a legal, safe and super fun way to engage with the art form.” **Topics:** [Arts & Culture](https://today.umd.edu/tags/arts-culture) **Tags:** [Music](https://today.umd.edu/topic/music), [Visual Arts](https://today.umd.edu/topic/visual-arts), [Arts](https://today.umd.edu/topic/arts), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience) **Units:** [College of Arts and Humanities](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-arts-and-humanities), [Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center](https://today.umd.edu/topic/clarice-smith-performing-arts-center)