Want to make art? Reach out to these staff members, offices, or student organizations to help you find your way! For a comprehensive list of all the arts-focused student-led extracurricular organizations active this semester, log into the Student Organization Center Online.
The Office for the Arts at Harvard
Contact the OFA front desk or email one of the following staff members for funding, administrative support, guest artists, free workshops, advocacy, assistance connecting to campus artmaking resources, and general advice.
- Jack Megan, Director
- Alicia Anstead, Associate Director for Programming
- Stephanie Troisi, Student Services Coordinator
- Dana Knox, Manager of College Theater
How to Use This Guide
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COMEDY | CREATIVE WRITING | DANCE | DRAMA | FASHION | FILM | MULTIDISCIPLINARY | MUSIC | VOCAL MUSIC | STUDIO ARTS | PRODUCTION SUPPORT | ARTS & PUBLIC SERVICE | ARTS & TECHNOLOGY
COMEDY
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Harvard College Stand-Up Comic Society
Open community of stand-up comedians who host performances, jam sessions and workshops.
Immediate Gratification Players
Audition-based improv comedy troupe that performs on campus and around the US.
On Thin Ice
Open improv and musical comedy troupe that performs on campus and around the US.
On Harvard Time
Student-run internet comedy news show.
Three Letter Acronym
Experimental improv comedy troupe.
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CREATIVE WRITING
Curricular:
Curricular creative writing courses and scholarship primarily reside within the Department of English. Curricular resources are generally available to all undergraduates, though priority is given to English concentrators focusing on creative writing.
Sam Marks, Director of Creative Writing, Department of English
Lauren Bimmler, Undergraduate Program Administrator, Department of English
Additional University Resources:
Poetry reading/events, Christina Davis, Curator, Woodberry Poetry Room
Collection of published poetry and literary recordings, plus live readings and other events.
Chloe Garcia Roberts, Deputy Editor, The Harvard Review
The Harvard Review is overseen by Houghton Library and publishes new poetry, essays, fiction, drama, criticism, book reviews, and interviews.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Indigo Magazine
Black literary arts and advocacy publication
The Harvard Advocate
The oldest continuously published collegiate literary magazine in the country. A quarterly magazine, The Advocate publishes art, fiction, poetry and prose.
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard's official student newspaper. Includes Arts reporting and Op-Eds, in addition to news and photojournalism.
The Harvard Lampoon
The Harvard Lampoon, founded in 1876, is the world's oldest continuously published humor magazine.
Tuesday Magazine
Publication for contemporary fiction, poetry, and visual art.
Harvard Undergraduate Creative Writing Collective
The Harvard Creative Writing Collective (CWC) is a student organization dedicated to creating a radically inclusive community of writers on campus. Our goal is to make the art and joy of writing accessible to students across campus by providing resources, hosting events, and building camaraderie.
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DANCE
Curricular:
Curricular dance courses and scholarship primarily reside within Theater, Dance & Media. Curricular resources are generally available to all undergraduates, though priority is given to TDM concentrators.
LROD, Interim Head of Dance, Theater, Dance & Media
Additional University Resources:
Elizabeth Epsen, Communications and Programs Manager, Harvard Dance Center
The Harvard Dance Center offers extracurricular dance classes, workshops/master classes, student dance company residencies, peer mentorship, and studio space.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Asian American Dance Troupe
Traditional Asian, contemporary, and fusion dance.
CityStep
Arts and social impact organization that unites college students and city school children through a powerful experience of self-expression, collaboration, and mentorship.
Crimson Dance Team
Competitive jazz, hip-hop, pom, and lyrical dance team.
Expressions Dance Company
Hip-hop dance company exploring house, jazz, funk, and contemporary hip-hop styles.
Harvard Ballet Company
Classical and contemporary ballet company, open to all Harvard affiliates and other Boston-area college students.
Harvard Ballroom Dance Team
Competitive ballroom dance organization that also hosts practices, lessons, and social dance events on campus.
Harvard Breakers Organization
Open breakdancing and street dance organization that hosts classes and open jam sessions.
Harvard Candela Latin Dance Troupe
Non-competitive latin dance group that dances bachata, salsa, merengue, and more, in classes and performances.
Harvard Chinese Students & Scholars Association Dance Troupe
Traditional Asian, hip-hop, k-pop, and fusion dance group open to all Harvard affiliates.
Harvard College Bhangra
Competitive bhangra dance team.
Harvard Deepam
South Asian classical dance.
Harvard-Radcliffe Modern Dance Company
The oldest dance organization at Harvard College, dedicated to creating and supporting innovative student choreography and performance.
Harvard TAPS
Open tap-dancing company focused on community-building and creative expression.
Harvard Undergraduate Contemporary Collective
Contemporary, lyrical, and modern dance.
Harvard Undergraduate Pole Dancing Club
Provides affordable pole dancing classes to cultivate strength, love, and confidence among all identities, especially those who have been historically disempowered such as women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, FGLI, and those with disabilities.
Omo Naija x The Wahala Boys Dance Troupe
Nigerian dance troupe, fuses traditional West African culture with a modern, popular twist.
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DRAMA
Curricular:
Curricular drama courses and scholarship primarily reside within Theater, Dance & Media. Curricular resources are generally available to all undergraduates, though priority is given to TDM concentrators.
Curricular Courses:
Ju Yon Kim, Chair of Theater, Dance & Media
Curricular Productions (including Design and Tech):
James Stanley, Producing Artistic Director, Theater, Dance & Media
Additional University Resources:
Dana Knox, Manager of the First Year Musical and College Theater, Office for the Arts
Matthew Wittmann, Curator, Harvard Theatre Collection
The Harvard Theatre Collection is one of the oldest and largest performing arts collections in the world.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC)
An umbrella organization for undergraduate campus theater, including overseeing student productions in several on-campus venues as well as hosting Common Casting, Backstage Week, panels, master classes, and formals. It also works to connect students to the professionals at the American Repertory Theater.
Asian Student Arts Project
ASAP aims to celebrate the community, experience, culture, and history of Asian students at Harvard with events such as group discussions, movie screenings, workshops, open-mic nights, group outings, panels, and large- and small-scale performances and theatrical productions. ASAP aims to produce at least one arts project that concerns Asian or Asian-American culture, experiences, history, and/or arts each year.
BlackCAST
The Harvard Black Community and Student Theater Group (BlackC.A.S.T.) provides students of color with a greater opportunity to be involved in theater and gives students of all races and ethnicities the chance to become acquainted with performance art of the African Diaspora.
Harvard College TEATRO
Student theater company that creates artistic opportunities for Latinx and non-Latinx students of color.
Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert & Sullivan Players
Student theater group open to all Harvard affiliates and other Boston-area college students, dedicated to performing comic operas.
Hasty Pudding Theatricals
The oldest theatrical organization in the United States, dedicated to performing original drag comedies with theatrical political and social commentary.
Hyperion Shakespeare Company
Student theater company dedicated to making Shakespeare inclusive, accessible, and entertaining to all people in Harvard's community.
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FASHION
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Eleganza
Founded 28 years ago as a small fashion show, Eleganza has grown to become one of Harvard’s largest student-run events, and has expanded into an annual celebration of fashion, dance, music, creative expression, and social justice.
FIG Magazine
Publication dedicated to expanding the discourse on fashion in industry and academia.
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FILM
Curricular:
Curricular resources in film are primarily housed within the Department of Art, Film and Visual Studies (AFVS). These resources are open to all undergraduates, though AFVS concentrators are prioritized.
Matt Saunders, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Art, Film and Visual Studies
Paula Soares, Manager of Academic Program, Art, Film, and Visual Studies
Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Director of the Film Study Center and Director of Graduate Studies
Additional University Resources:
Harvard Film Archive
Public showings of new and archival films, on-demand access to archival film library and stock footage, virtual and in-person exhibitions of film-related visual artwork (movie posters, production stills, etc.).
The Film Study Center at Harvard University
Supports filmmaking, moving image, and sonic practices at Harvard through granting fellowships and access to equipment, holding work-in-progress critiques, and hosting visiting artists.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Harvard College Film Festival
Student-run festival dedicated to showcasing films by undergraduates.
Harvard Undergraduate Filmmakers Association
Dedicated to facilitating film production at Harvard via club-wide film projects, educational workshops, feedback sessions, and other programming.
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MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Curricular:
Critical Media Practice
A secondary field for graduate students interested in creating original interpretive projects in still or moving images, sound, installation, internet applications, or other media in conjunction with their written scholarship may apply to pursue the CMP secondary field. The CMP program connects students with courses, workshops, and advising on various forms of artistic production.
Sensory Ethnography Lab
An experimental laboratory that promotes innovative combinations of aesthetics and ethnography. It uses analog and digital media, installation, and performance, to explore the aesthetics and ontology of the natural and unnatural world.
Additional University Resources:
Harvard Ed Portal
The Harvard Ed Portal arts program brings Harvard art and artists to audiences in Allston-Brighton and beyond, offers youth programming focused on hands-on arts learning, and supports the ability of neighborhood artists and creatives to make a living through technical assistance and capacity-building.
ArtLab
An experimental workspace for artists, scholars, and creative processes, ArtLab hosts a residency program for faculty & guest artists and supports interdisciplinary projects by Harvard students.
Radcliffe Engaged Student Grant Program
The Radcliffe Engaged Student Grant Program provides $1,500 stipends per project to support the research, creative, and service work of Harvard undergraduate and graduate students on topics related to the Radcliffe Engaged focus areas. Proposed projects can explore academic research, creative pursuits (such as those using art, writing, or multimedia), or the design of an original service project.
Cultural Rhythms
Produced by the Harvard Foundation, a cultural festival that celebrates Harvard's rich cultural and ethnic diversity by showcasing student performances and ethno-cultural cuisine from over 30 student organizations.
ARTS FIRST Festival
Harvard’s annual arts festival celebrating the creativity of the Harvard University community, produced by the OFA. Students are encouraged to participate as performers, paid producers, paid communications/administrative team members and volunteers.
Marin Orlosky, Arts First Coordinator
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Black Arts Collective
Multidisciplinary organization dedicated to showcasing Black artistry and community engagement.
Conflux
Student collective dedicated to exploring and expanding the intersection between new media, contemporary art and technology, through research and creating interactive art projects.
Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association
Contains special interest groups for watching anime, drawing comics, creating cosplay costumes and accessories, storytelling, and writing speculative fiction.
Fuerza Latina
Pan-Latinx cultural organization which hosts performances and social events.
Ghungroo
Produced by the South Asian Association, Ghungroo is Harvard's largest student-run production centering South Asian and diaspora culture through music, dance, spoken word, skit, writing, and visual art.
Harvard Korean Association
Produces an annual Culture Night with live performances.
The Society of Harvard Undergraduate Magicians
Open group of experienced and amateur illusionists.
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MUSIC
Curricular:
Curricular resources in music are primarily housed within the Department of Music. These resources are open to all undergraduates, though Music concentrators are prioritized.
Nancy Shafman, Director of Administration, Harvard Department of Music
Harvard University Studio for Electroacoustic Composition
Four multi-use facilities which function as classrooms, workspaces, and intimate recording studios for graduate and advanced undergraduate composition students working with live electronic processing.
Faculty-Led Ensembles:
Participation in faculty-led ensembles is eligible for curricular credit, if enrolled as a performance course.
Andy Clark, Director of Choral Activity
Mark Olson, Director of the Harvard University Band and Wind Ensemble
Federico Cortese, Director of the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra
Allen Feinstein, Director of the Harvard Pops Orchestra and Hasty Pudding Band
Yosvany Terry, Director of Harvard Jazz Bands
Don Braden '85, Coach, OFA Jazz Combo Initiative
Additional University Resources:
Loeb Music Library
The library's collections of books, musical scores, periodicals, and sound and video recordings support research in a wide variety of musical disciplines, including historical musicology, music theory, ethnomusicology, composition and historically informed performance practice.
Hiphop Archive & Research Institute
Curates all forms of Hiphop material culture including recordings, videos, websites, films, original papers, works, references, productions, conferences, meetings, interviews, publications, research and formal proceedings, supports research activities and hosts events.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Bach Society Orchestra
A chamber orchestra devoted to the study and performance of works for smaller orchestras, from intimate chamber pieces to mid-sized symphonies, taken from a wide range of historical periods.
Brattle Street Chamber Players
A conductorless string chamber orchestra with a broad-ranging repertoire of standard, seldom performed, and newly composed music.
Harvard College Piano Society
Open group of piano music enthusiasts which hosts student performances, social events, master classes, workshops, and recital series with pianists from around the world.
Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra
Led by Phoebe Carrai and Sarah Darling, HBCO is a small chamber orchestra dedicated to bringing back to life the vivid rhetoric and dancing rhythms of baroque music.
Harvard Electronic Music Collective
A community of student electronic musicians (producers, DJs, beatmakers, etc.) of all skill levels.
Harvard Organ Society
Open group which hosts a weekly lunchtime recital series, master classes, and visits to notable instruments throughout the Boston area and wider New England.
Harvard-Radcliffe Mozart Society Orchestra
Harvard's only student-led full-sized chamber orchestra, which performs a wide range of repertoire from the Baroque period through the 21st century.
Harvard University Band
The university's official band, which performs at Harvard football games and other sporting events, and at various university, community, and charity events.
Harvard Wind Ensemble
Ensemble led by Mark Olson to study and perform original literature for winds and percussion.
Lowell House Society of Russian Bell Ringers
Open group of students who ring the Lowell House bells every Sunday and host social and educational events.
Mather House Chamber Music Society
Based at Mather House but open to all Harvard affiliates, this program includes early music ensembles, vocal ensembles, flute and recorder consorts, figured bass, string quartets, piano duets and trios, and more.
Mariachi Véritas de Harvard
Harvard’s only mariachi band.
River Charles Ensemble
A conductor-less chamber orchestra.
THUD (The Harvard Undergraduate Drummers)
Percussive ensemble that plays drum set battles, arrangements of pop and classical music, original pieces on found instruments like plastic cups and chalkboards, drumming on buckets, and more.
VOCAL MUSIC
Harvard A Cappella Home Page
Fallen Angels
Upper-voice contemporary a cappella group.
Lowell House Opera
The oldest opera company currently performing in New England, LHO is a professionally-led company in residence at Harvard College, which casts a mix of professional artists, Harvard students, and students from other Boston-area colleges and conservatories.
Harvard Callbacks
Contemporary a cappella group focused on R&B and soul music.
Harvard Din & Tonics
Jazz a cappella with snappy choreography and comedic antics.
Harvard College Opera
Produces an annual opera, as well as recitals, concerts, collaborations, guest artist visits, and social events.
Harvard Glee Club
An ensemble of tenor and bass voices, the Harvard Glee Club is the oldest collegiate choir in the United States, performing on campus and throughout the country.
Harvard Glee Club Lite
The a cappella sub-set of the Harvard Glee Club, performing rock, pop, jazz, and folk music with a comedic twist.
Harvard Krokodiloes
Harvard's oldest a cappella group, performing repertoire from the Great American Songbook and beyond.
Harvard Noteables
A non-audition Broadway show choir.
Harvard Opportunes
Internationally ranked all-gender contemporary a cappella group.
Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum
A nationally acclaimed mixed-voice choir that performs repertoire ranging from classical masterpieces to new compositions by renowned, emerging, and student composers.
Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones
An award-winning, contemporary, all-gender a cappella group.
Harvard University Choir
Regarded by many as the premier program in college chapel music, this choir of undergraduate and graduate students performs in concert and during services of the Memorial Church.
Memorial Church Sunday Choir & Choral Fellows
A paid choir that performs for the Sunday services of The Memorial Church in Harvard Yard, as well as touring performances. The Choral Fellows are a sub-set of the Sunday Choir who additionally perform in the daily Morning Prayers services in Appleton Chapel, plus special events and tours.
Harvard Undergraduate Songwriters Collective
A community of student songwriters of all experience levels who love to share their songs and grow as musicians.
Kuumba Singers of Harvard College
The oldest Black organization at Harvard, Kuumba Singers explore and share the rich musical culture of black people through spirituals, gospel, African folk songs, and contemporary music, as well as dance, poetry and spoken word.
Radcliffe Pitches
Harvard University's oldest female-voiced a cappella singing group, which performs jazz standards, classics from the Great American Songbook, and contemporary songs.
Radcliffe Choral Society
A treble choral ensemble under the direction of Andrew Clark and Meg Weckworth which performs repertoire spanning nine centuries of choral literature: sacred and secular, a cappella and accompanied, collaborative and choral-orchestral.
RCS 'Cliffe Notes
The contemporary a cappella subset of the Radcliffe Choral Society.
VoxJazz
Mixed-gender a cappella vocal jazz sextet.
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STUDIO ARTS
Curricular:
Curricular resources in studio arts are primarily housed within the Department of Art, Film and Visual Studies (AFVS). These resources are open to all undergraduates, though AFVS concentrators are prioritized.
Matt Saunders, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Art, Film and Visual Studies
Paula Soares, Manager of Academic Program, Art, Film, and Visual Studies
Additional University Resources:
OFA Ceramics Program, Kathy King, Director
Harvard Art Museums, Jeanne Burke, Staff
Harvard Art Museums Materials Lab
Offers workshops that provide a combination of close looking, hands-on experimentation, and interaction with experts to explore the complex physical lives of artworks.
SEAS Instructional Design & Fabrication Shops
From basic hand-tools to more complex machinery, the Instructional Design and Fabrication Shops support SEAS/Physics students by providing training and access to tools and equipment.
ARTS FIRST Public Art Program
A competitive program supporting the creation of several temporary large-scale Public Art installations in Harvard Yard during Harvard's annual ARTS FIRST Festival.
Harvard Radcliffe Institute Public Art Competition
A biennial competition that invites undergraduate and graduate students to submit designs for the installation of original public artwork in the Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Garden in Radcliffe Yard. The competition considers the role of art and design in the university setting and yields dynamic student-designed artwork, sited in a garden designed for year-round use.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Harvard Undergraduate Student Art Collective
Provides digital and in-person opportunities for all student artists to showcase their work. Runs the annual Student Art Show.
Harvard Studio Art Society
An open organization of student artists who meet regularly to engage in art-making as a community in a casual setting.
Harvard Undergraduate Art Club
Provides opportunities to step out of the high-stress atmosphere of Harvard and create art as a therapy to relax while bonding with a supportive community.
Harvard Undergraduate Design Collective
Both a design business that provides work that spans across the digital design discipline, including branding, graphic design, illustration and web design, and a student community dedicated to expanding digital arts education.
Harvard Photography Club
An open organization of student photographers of all experience levels.
Harvard Architecture Undergraduate Society
Fosters appreciation of architecture and the world of design among undergraduate students.
Harvard Undergraduate Arts & Crafts Club
Provides opportunities for students of all identities, disciplines, and artistic backgrounds to create, appreciate, and celebrate the arts.
Harvard Undergraduate Knitting Circle
An open organization of fiber crafts enthusiasts of all experience levels.
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PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Additional University Resources:
Cabot Science Library Augmented and Virtual Reality Studio
Provides equipment and guidance on creating podcasts, videos, AR/VR programs, and 3D models.
Lamont Multimedia Lab
Equipment and workshops for media creation and data visualization, including editing and production for audio and video.
The Sound Lab at Harvard University
A studio for students to experiment with sound production equipment and techniques. Hosts weekly workshops and offers a suite of equipment for students to use on their creative projects.
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ARTS & PUBLIC SERVICE
Extracurricular Student-Led:
CityStep
Arts and social impact organization that unites college students and city school children through a powerful experience of self-expression, collaboration, and mentorship.
Friends of Project Sunshine
Project Sunshine brings joy and play to pediatric patients through volunteer-led programming in various medical settings.
Harvard MIHNUET
An organization dedicated to performing in local hospitals and nursing homes.
Harvard College Student Chapter of Storywish
Empowering young authors and readers through the collaborative creation of original picture books.
Harvard Undergraduate Writing and Public Service Initiative
Launched by the Harvard College Writing Program in 2010, the Writing and Public Service Initiative (WPSI) aims to support Harvard first-years through seniors who are interested in deploying their skills as clear and dynamic writers for public service. Through the WPSI, undergraduates can connect with schools and non-profits that have expressed a need for volunteer writing tutors, writing coaches, writers, and editors.
PBHA's HARMONY
PBHA's Harvard and Radcliffe Musical Outreach to Neighborhood Youth, or HARMONY, Mentoring aims to give all youth in the Cambridge area access to a musical education.
PBHA's HARTZ (Harvard Artists for Alzheimer's Patients)
Volunteers in PBHA’s HARTZ program create fun art projects with nursing home residents.
PBHA's Harvard STAGE
Harvard STAGE (Student Theater Advancing Growth and Empowerment) is dedicated to empowering Boston and Cambridge youth through the performing arts.
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ARTS & TECHNOLOGY
Additional University Resources:
Rachel Delucas, SEAS Manager for Undergraduate Student Experiences
REEF Makerspace
Laser cutters, wood shop, AR/VR studio, soldering, casting, dye sublimation, sewing machines and sergers, 3D printers (PLA and resin), CNC, and more, available to all Harvard affiliates.
SEAS Instructional Electronics Shops
A one stop shop for all things electrical for graduates and undergraduates, including an array of advanced electrical equipment and services ranging from basic technical advice to more formal design consultations and full instrumentation design.
SEAS Active Learning Labs
Provides equipment and advice on engineering and design projects for curious minds across the Harvard community, regardless of discipline or level of expertise.
AR/VR Studio at Harvard Innovation Labs
Various software and design platforms, multiple headset configurations, workstations, and filming resources to help undergraduate and graduate students experiment and create innovations in a wide range of industries.
metaLAB at Harvard
A community of scholars, artists, and technologists, as well as a design lab and production studio, open to all Harvard affiliates.
Extracurricular Student-Led:
Conflux
Student collective dedicated to exploring and expanding the intersection between new media, contemporary art and technology, through research and creating interactive art projects.