Society, Arts & Culture Content

Weekender: See ‘Relative Motion’ in Dance; Hear Music in May

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — May 14, 2026 - 9:35am

UC Davis Dance explores ‘Relative Motion’ in spring dance performances this weekend and next

Performances are May 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. and May 16 and 23 at 2 p.m., Wright Hall, UC Davis

“Relative Motion,” the UC Davis 2026 Spring Dance Concert, showcases new works by student choreographers. The Department of Theatre and Dance is presenting the concert starting on Thursday, May 14 and runs for two weekends in the Main Theatre, Wright Hall.

'The Mother Road' Exhibition at Library Celebrates Route 66

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — May 05, 2026 - 1:28pm

To commemorate the centennial of America’s most famous highway, Route 66, the Archives and Special Collections Department is joining statewide celebrations with a two‑case exhibition of select materials from its collections in Shields Library. “Celebrating 100 Years of the Mother Road: Route 66” is located in the lobby, next to the main stairwell.

Although Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985, much of the roadway still remains and endures in the popular imagination as a symbol of adventure and road trips across the desert in the American West.

In Library Exhibition, View 'The Past in Practice: Interpreting the Ancient World'

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — May 04, 2026 - 9:21am

The Past in Practice: Interpreting the Ancient World is on view on the first floor of the UC Davis Shields Library until the end of the quarter. Entering the library, past the left hallway beside the courtyard, on the first left wall near the stairs, the pieces hang elegantly.

How Can Reducing Stigma for Non-traditional Romantic Relationships Benefit Everyone?

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 30, 2026 - 3:44pm

Not all romantic relationships between consenting adults involve only two people. For nearly one-fifth of U.S. adults at some point in their life, those relationships have included three or more.

Having more than one romantic partner at time, with the consent of all involved, is called “consensual non-monogamy.” While it’s much more common than most people realize, people who practice it face stigma and prejudice.

Weekender: Symphony Holds Spring Concert; Design Museum Symposium; Last Call for Backstory

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 30, 2026 - 7:12am

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra performs classics, contemporary works in spring concert

7 p.m., Friday, May 1, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis

In a concert titled “Orbiting Spheres,” the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra explores three unique orchestral works under the baton of conductor Matilda Hofman. The concert is Friday, May 1 at the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts and begins at 7 p.m.

Restoration of Paintings Can Reveal What the Artist Intended

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 28, 2026 - 10:02am

Mark Tucker, a UC Davis alum and conservator, visited UC Davis as the Art History department’s guest speaker on “The Challenges of Altered Paintings” in April, explaining how restoration can reveal art in new ways for viewers.

Weekender: Stick and Bow Concert, Saxophone, Danzantes del Alma and More

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 23, 2026 - 10:17am

Stick and Bow at noon concert

Thursday, April 23, Pitzer Center, UC Davis

Yolo County Basic Income Program Provided Reprieve from Poverty but Not Financial Independence

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 22, 2026 - 8:33am

A basic income program in Yolo County — one of the first such programs nationwide — lifted unhoused families above the California poverty line for two years. Families could, for a while, spend less time worrying about money and more time being a family, according to new University of California, Davis, research.

The program provided a monthly stipend to 76 mostly single-parent families between 2022 and 2024, helping them gain housing, food and general wellbeing for two years.

Weekender: Concerts, Art History Lecture, and More

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 16, 2026 - 9:39am

Here is a guide to activities through this weekend. For a guide to Picnic Day art themes for Saturday, including the FADS Fashion Show and the return of the Gong, go to the Picnic Day special blog here. Karen Nikos-Rose, Arts Blog Editor

Arts at Picnic Day: The Gong Returns, Fashion, More

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — April 15, 2026 - 10:13am

As is always the case, the more than 200 events and exhibitions at Picnic Day can be a bit overwhelming. But if you want to just partake in the UC Davis arts this Saturday, April 18, there’s plenty to enjoy. And all the campus museums will be open. We also tell you how to learn about all Picnic Day events. Karen Nikos-Rose, Arts Blog Editor