As winter weather loosens its grip, March delivers a renewed sense of momentum across Emory, with the arts offering a space for reconnection, experimentation and fresh perspectives. This month’s lineup brings bold performances, thought-provoking exhibitions and student-driven creativity — inviting the community to emerge, gather and celebrate the season of revival.
Hear from an acclaimed novelist
The month kicks off with the return of the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature, delivered by acclaimed author Min Jin Lee, with events happening March 1-3 in the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. The Ellmann Lectures, now housed in the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, began in 1988 and have welcomed authors such as Seamus Heaney, Henry Louis (Skip) Gates Jr., Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie to Emory's campus.
Lee, author of the novels “Free Food for Millionaires” and “Pachinko,” will lecture on the theme “Can Wisdom be Taught?” exploring the subject of wisdom in an unpredictable world. The Ellmann Lectures are free to attend and open to all, but tickets are required. While tickets are currently sold out, interested individuals can check the Schwartz Center’s online Ellmann Lecture ticketing pages to see if additional seats have opened.
Sounds across traditions
Music at Emory moves fluidly across traditions in March, from intimate contemporary performances to large-scale orchestral and jazz concerts. The month begins with guest artist and former Emory Arts Fellow Davor Vincze performing Sunday, March 1, at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Studio, offering an up-close encounter with new musical ideas. Tickets are not required for this free event.
Later that week, the talented Emory University Symphony Orchestra performs gospel originals from Emorja Roberson, composer and Oxford College assistant professor. The concert, held at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, in the Schwartz Center’s Emerson Concert Hall, also features Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” and Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” The event is free and open to the public.
Mid-month, choral and jazz traditions converge as the Atlanta Master Chorale joins the Gary Motley Trio for “Who Could Ask for Anything More?” presented at 8 p.m. Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14, at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the box office.
Finally, Emory’s emerging jazz musicians enter the spotlight with a free performance by the Emory Jazz Combos in the Schwartz Center on Tuesday, March 24, at 8 p.m. The performers will explore many facets of improvisation in this small group setting.
Unique narratives take the stage
Narrative-driven work shapes the latter half of the month across the theater and literary arts.
The written word takes center stage with the 2025-26 Creative Writing Program Reading Series: Fellows Reading on Wednesday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m., spotlighting emerging voices and contemporary literary practice in a live reading format. This free event takes place in PAIS Room 290 and features readings from Emory’s Creative Writing Fellows Phanésia Pharel (playwriting), James Ciano (poetry) and Carolyn Kras (screenwriting).
Theater Emory presents “Bright Star,” running March 26-April 4 in the Mary Gray Munroe Theater. Written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell — and inspired by true events — the musical blends bluegrass-inspired music with a sweeping story of love, loss and redemption. Tickets are available through the Schwartz Center Box Office.
Turn a critical eye to film
Cinema and visual culture anchor a robust slate of screenings and talks throughout March. The Emory Cinematheque continues its spring programming of Matthew Bernstein’s “Farewell Favorites,” with all screenings taking place on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in White Hall, Room 208. March showings include “Notorious” (March 4), “The Third Man” (March 18) and “High and Low” (March 25).
Visual discourse continues through the Photography Speaks series, with Danish artist Nicolai Howalt discussing his work on Monday, March 30, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Organized by Film and Media associate professor Jason Francisco, Photography Speaks is an ongoing series of artist talks in and around contemporary photography.
Arts at Oxford
On Emory’s Oxford College campus, March explores movement, memory and collective.
Attend a workshop with cellist Jesse Lee focused on “Cello as Instrument and Experiment.” Starting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, in the Oxford College Chapel, the event is free and open to the public.
On Thursday, March 5, hear from historian Ezequiel Adamovsky as he discusses “Transnational Blackface Studies and Darkening Makeup among Afro-Latin Americans.” The lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the Humanities Building, Room 202, and will examine Black Argentine carnival traditions, offering a hemispheric perspective on the intersections of carnival, public space and politics.
Gearing up for the World Cup
As Atlanta looks ahead to the World Cup this summer, several events are happening across Emory in conjunction with the university’s Footwork initiative.
The “Footwork: Celebrating Soccer, Culture, and Community” exhibition is now open in the Schatten Gallery, located on the third floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library.
On Tuesday, March 17, head to Ackerman Hall at the Michael C. Carlos Museum for “The Making of a Mural: A Creativity Conversation with Artist Charly Palmer & Emory Art Students in Dialogue.” The panel discussion will explore the collaborative creation of a mural for “Footwork,” offering insight into how art — and sports — offer connections to others. The free event starts at 5 p.m. and advance registration is required.
Oxford College Footwork events include the opening of the “Footwork Firsts” photography exhibit — located in the Oxford Library’s Second Floor Gallery — highlighting student soccer athletes and a Footwork Kickoff panel discussion. Oxford College Library archivist Kerry Bowden will moderate the conversation held Wednesday, March 18, at 5:30 p.m. in the Oxford Student Center.
“Footwork Fest with Kicks & Fros” takes place at the Oxford Student Center on Friday, March 20, to celebrate the dynamic intersection of sport, fashion and culture. There will be a student-led fashion show curated by Eternal Magazine, highlighting sport- and streetwear-inspired looks. Attendees can also explore local vendors, enjoy a custom charm bar by Kicks & Fros, and check out sneaker collections showcased by members of the Oxford community.
That same day, Oxford will host Bethany Atkinson, sales director at Adidas and former college athlete, as she discusses her career post-DI college tennis through an MBA and love for all things sports.
Finally, at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 30, hear from Peter Acker, a former Oxford graduate turned lawyer turned CEO of Atlanta Keepers Academy. Acker’s story highlights the twists and turns typical of many careers post-college and centers on patience, resilience and a deep love for soccer.