UMF, and indeed the greater Farmington area, is considered the cultural center of the region.
With an active local and campus community of artists, musicians, poets, actors, writers, filmmakers, improv comics and more, the University has hosted performances by nationally and internationally known musicians, dance troupes, and comedians; exhibits by renowned artists; readings by Pulitzer Prize winning poets and renowned authors; and thought-provoking dramas, comedies, and musicals.
Get Your Arts On
The University of Maine at Farmington is home to a wide variety of student-run and community-based arts organizations. UMF also hosts arts events of every kind throughout the year.
- Ministry of Experimental Arts
- UMF Community Chorus
- Theatre UMF Plays
- Emery Community Arts Center Events
- Sandy River Players Community Theater
- Pride Week Talent Show
- The annual Surrealist Salon
- Art Renegades
- Lawn Chair Pirates Improv Comedy Troupe
- UMF Film Club
- Concert Nights at The Landing
- UMF Design Corps
- UMF Chamber Choir
- WUMF 91.5FM
- UMF Writers Guild
- Student Art Exhibitions
- Free Movie Tickets at Narrow Gauge Cinema
- Gamefest – A 12 hour overnight gaming event
- One Acts Theater Festival
- Pixel Hunter Video & Animation Festival
- Live Hip-Hop at The Landing
- Visiting Writers Series
- Sandy River Review Student Literary Magazine
- UMF International Film Series
- WUMF Battle of the Bands Rock Concert Competition
- The Clefnotes, a student a Capella Group
- Pride Week Arts & Crafts Night
- Collegium Instrumental Ensemble
- Humans vs. Zombies
- Poetry Slam Nights
- UMF Art Gallery
- Farmington Flyer Student Paper
- Pride Week Movie Night
- Live Action Combat
- Rocky Horror Show
- And so much more!
UMF Arts District
Historic Nordica Auditorium, the Alumni Theater, and UMF’s Emery Community Arts Center form a mini “Arts District” right on campus. The enormous Emery Community Arts Center has multiple gallery / exhibition spaces, a state-of-the-art performance space, and more.
UMF is committed to challenging the contemporary boundaries of the arts. Our innovative interdisciplinary arts curriculum creates an exciting environment for student collaboration and exploration of the arts — in all its forms.
Creativity Without Boundaries
Here, students in all majors (not just those majoring in programs in The Arts) are encouraged and inspired to push the boundaries of their creativity.
They act, direct, write, and stage inspired — and inspiring — theatrical, musical, and spoken word performances. They create and produce videos and animations for Pixel Hunter, the annual on-campus student-produced film festival.
They exhibit their original work at the on-campus UMF Art Gallery, the Emery Community Arts Center, and at popup “guerrilla art” installations across campus. They work with the campus community and collaborate with local arts organizations to participate in, publicize, and champion arts events on campus and around the Farmington area, year-round.
At UMF, we dare you to dream — to stretch your talents as far as your imagination will allow.
Arts Week
And each spring, the entire campus comes together to celebrate Arts Week at UMF — a series of student-created visual art exhibits, one-act plays, music performances, creative writing readings, dance performances, Pixel Hunter (see below), and much more. It’s a festive year-end showcase of our student’s creativity, independence, and artistic abilities. It’s really fun and well-attended.
Pixel Hunter Student Short Film Project
During Arts Week, the UMF Division of the Arts presents Pixel Hunter, an end-of-year video project by University of Maine at Farmington students. It’s a collection of experimental short films and animations created by UMF students as part of their academic program in The Arts.
Pixel Hunter is presented to the campus each year, typically held one of the last weeks of the spring semester. Below are selections from this year’s Pixel Hunter presentation.