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Visiting Artists and Scholars

The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies endeavors to offer co-curricular opportunities, multi-disciplinary experiences and creative inspiration by bringing extraordinary artists and scholars to enhance our students’ learning experiences.

Visiting artists and scholars

Artists and scholars enhance the learning process for undergraduate and graduate students at the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies.

TDPS works with The Clarice, which curates multi-arts performances and festivals with artists and creative innovators from both around the corner and around the world. Dedicated to creating performance and learning opportunities for students and our community, this work also shines through in artist residencies, workshops, master classes, K-12 student matinees and artistic exchange. With a strong belief that artists can be catalysts for community change, leadership and empowerment, The Clarice extends the academic learning and cultural opportunities for UMD students, as well as enhances the artistic ecology of the community that surrounds and supports the university.


As part of the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU), TDPS also works with ARHU’s Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program to bring visiting artists. The AIR program is a joint project of the departments of Art and English, the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and the School of Music. Each of these units has components that involve “working art” — that is, the creative work of a variety of artists, including writers, composers, performers, dancers and visual artists, to name a few. AIR aims to contribute to the creative educational mission of each academic unit, while simultaneously fostering cross-disciplinary discussion and collaboration.

Former visiting artists and scholars

Jim Henson Artist-in-Residence Program

To honor the legacy and creative genius of University of Maryland alumnus Jim Henson ‘60, alumna Jane Henson ‘55 established the Jim Henson Artist-in-Residence Program in 2006. The generosity of the Henson family has allowed the school to bring acclaimed puppet artists to campus for a semester-long residency to teach courses, conduct workshops, create puppets for main season productions and mentor student artists with independent study projects.

Recent artists include: