Apr 28, 2026 | Ideas and Insights

Jeremy Geffen Introduces the 2026–27 Season

Cal Performances' Executive and Artistic Director shares top-level highlights across the season.

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Illuminations

Apr 28, 2026 | Illuminations

Jeremy Geffen Introduces the 2026–27 Season

Two men -- one dancer shirtless in a dance pose and one dressed in late 1800s dress -- next to each other against a colorful red and purple background.

Apr 28, 2026 | Illuminations

Think Deeply, Feel Fully: The Philosopher’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season

Black and white photo of members of Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain all in line holding their instruments.

Apr 28, 2026 | Illuminations

What’s New, Next, and Novel: The Curious Curator’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season

Apr 28, 2026 | Illuminations

Performances That Do It All: The Maximalist’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season

Apr 28, 2026 | Illuminations

Humans at the Heart: The Storyteller’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season

Sep 16, 2025 | Illuminations

“Exile & Sanctuary”: The Politics of Hospitality

Sep 16, 2025 | Illuminations

“Exile & Sanctuary”: Sanctuary and the Search for Belonging

Sep 16, 2025 | Illuminations

“Exile & Sanctuary”: The Art of Exile

A drawing depicting a little girl attached to a string held by a hand as she stands on a bright red road in the midst of a black and white forest.

Apr 15, 2025 | Illuminations

Illuminations Performances Explore “Exile & Sanctuary”

Defining Courage's documentary playing in the background in front of David Ono onstage and a choir performing onstage.

Mar 18, 2025 | Illuminations

Defining Courage Through Music and Theater: The Story of America’s Nisei Soldiers

Two actors of "The Great Yes, The Great No" wearing dresses onstage, covering their faces with large black-and-white masks with images of women.

Jan 30, 2025 | Illuminations

The Spasms of History: Inside William Kentridge’s The Great Yes, The Great No

Oct 11, 2024 | Illuminations

“Fractured History”: What is the Role of Appropriation in Art?

Oct 11, 2024 | Illuminations

“Fractured History”: Art as Historical Reference

Oct 10, 2024 | Illuminations

Artists and UC Berkeley Professors Discuss Illuminations: “Fractured History”

Aug 30, 2024 | Illuminations

Transfixing Art: Julia Bullock Launches Her Cal Performances Artist Residency

Apr 16, 2024 | Illuminations

The Fascinating True Stories That Inspired Each Illuminations: “Fractured History” Performance

William Kentridge, an older man wearing a white dress shirt and glasses, sits at a table against a gray background and gestures with his hands.

Apr 16, 2024 | Illuminations

The Making of William Kentridge’s The Great Yes, The Great No

Feb 22, 2024 | Illuminations

Illuminations Artists and UC Berkeley Professors Discuss American Dreams and Culture Wars

Feb 13, 2024 | Illuminations

Cultural Exchange: The Rite of Spring

Taylor Mac and Matt Rays Bark of Millions

Feb 8, 2024 | Illuminations

Bark of Millions: Fantasy and Mystery, Rooted in Queerness

Jan 31, 2024 | Illuminations

Illuminations Artists and UC Berkeley Professors Discuss Individual Liberties and Community Needs

Jan 18, 2024 | Illuminations

Julius Eastman’s Femenine

Courtney J Cook sits with Mame Diarra Spies in discussion of the Illuminations Intersectionalities.

Nov 16, 2023 | Illuminations

Illuminations Artists and UC Berkeley Professors Discuss Intersectionalities

Nov 9, 2023 | Illuminations

Shifting Artistic Representation of the US’s First Transcontinental Railroad

Oct 12, 2023 | Illuminations

Announcing Illuminations’ New Partnerships and Community Event Series Exploring “Individual & Community”

2223 AI Song Contest

Apr 28, 2023 | Illuminations

Human & Machine Song Contest Winners

Apr 18, 2023 | Illuminations

2023–24 Season Illuminations: “Individual & Community”

Feb 17, 2023 | Illuminations

William Kentridge’s SIBYL: The Reassurance of Uncertainty

Kinetech Arts Technology and Creative Expression

Oct 25, 2022 | Illuminations

“Human and Machine”: Technology and Creative Expression

Colm Ó Riain, Jaron Lanier, and Ken Goldberg

Oct 21, 2022 | Illuminations

“Human and Machine”: Beyond Our Hopes and Fears

Jason Treuting and Adam Sliwinski

Oct 18, 2022 | Illuminations

“Human and Machine”: The Instrumentalist & the Instrument Maker

Gentrification Storytelling panel discussion in Zellerbach Hall

May 5, 2022 | Illuminations

Gentrification Storytelling: A Panel Discussion

Two Wings Q&A

Apr 14, 2022 | Illuminations

Two Wings: The Music of Black America in Migration Post-Performance Q&A

Climate Displacement

Apr 14, 2022 | Illuminations

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Climate Displacement

Place and Displacement Choreography

Mar 14, 2022 | Illuminations

Pandemic-Displaced Choreography: Q&A with Joffrey Ballet’s Nicolas Blanc and Christine Rocas

Jeremy Geffen, Ashley Wheat, Yoshihisa Arai

Feb 28, 2022 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation with Ashley Wheater and Yoshihisa Arai of Joffrey Ballet: 2021/22 Season

Feb 28, 2022 | Illuminations

Place Post-Performance Q&A

Performance of Labor Panel

Feb 2, 2022 | Illuminations

The Performance of Labor/The Labor of Performance: A Convening Panel

Jeremy Geffen, Mahsa Vahdat, David Harrington

Nov 12, 2021 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation with Kronos Quartet: 2021/22 Season

Jeremy Geffen, Van Anh Vo

Nov 12, 2021 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation with Vân-Ánh Võ

Angelique Kidjo Bias in Our Algorithms

Oct 19, 2021 | Illuminations

Place and Displacement: Bias in Our Algorithms and Society

Angelique Kidjo Music Diaspora

Oct 19, 2021 | Illuminations

Music, Diaspora, and the World A Conversation with Angélique Kidjo

John Sopko, Lowell Bergman, Jane Ferguson

Sep 17, 2021 | Illuminations

9/11: A Turning Point

Julia Wolfe

Apr 30, 2021 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation with Julia Wolfe: 2020/21 Season

Apr 27, 2021 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation with Renée Fleming

Marta Minow Erwin Chemerinsky Lowell Bergman

Mar 29, 2021 | Illuminations

A Clear and Present Danger: The Wild West of the Web, the First Amendment, and Saving the News

Peter Sellars, Orville Schell, Jianying Zha

Mar 19, 2021 | Illuminations

My Old Home, A Novel of Exile: Orville Schell and Peter Sellars in Conversation, with Musical Interludes

Janet Napolitano, Henry Brady, Erwin Chemerinsky, Geeta Anand

Jan 22, 2021 | Illuminations

Fact or Fiction: Disinformation and Freedom of Speech

Geeta Anand, Tristan Harris

Jan 9, 2021 | Illuminations

Fighting the Disinformation Machine: Social Media and the Future of Journalism

Anthony Cascardi, Catherine Gallagher, Timothy Hampton

Dec 15, 2020 | Illuminations

Changing the Narrative: What Stories Can We Tell Now?

Ric Burns, Kate Edgar, Bill Hayes, Indre Viskontas

Oct 29, 2020 | Illuminations

Oliver Sacks: His Own Life – Forum Discussion

Charles Lamb and Matthew Whitaker near MRI machine

Oct 29, 2020 | Illuminations

The Art of the Spark: Musical Creativity Explored with Dr. Charles Limb

Oct 7, 2020 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation for Real Enemies

CP at Home

Oct 7, 2020 | Illuminations

Artist Conversation for Frankenstein: 2020/21 Season

Oct 5, 2020 | Illuminations

Public Forum: The United States of Conspiracy: An Arts + Design Mondays presentation

Oct 5, 2020 | Illuminations

Public Forum: Fact or Fiction: Conspiracy Theories and the Current Political Moment