students in a mid-air jump during a dance performance
THE CAMPUS EXPERIENCE

Arts & Culture

Music. Galleries. Dance. Theater. USF is a place for artists, designers, architects, performers, and community members to think critically, make powerfully, and engage thoughtfully in the heart of the city that creates tomorrow.

On-Campus Exhibits & Performances

Come see — and participate in — our many artistic programs. 

two students paint together

Create Art

Our studio facilities, commonly known as “XARTS,” include dedicated 2D and 3D studios equipped with tools and equipment to support a range of media including drawing, printmaking, digital photography, video, digital fabrication, ceramics, and woodworking.

A person talking at the Thacher Art Gallery

Visit Our Gallery

USF's Thacher Gallery presents free public programs such as artist talks, craft demonstrations, and docent-led tours for all ages. The facility also serves as a professional training laboratory for students interested in arts management, museum studies, and exhibitions.

students doing acrobatics durning a dance performance in dance ensemble

Watch a Live Performance

Students have access to multiple performance spaces, including the Presentation and Studio theaters, and groups like the College Players.

Major in the Arts

Choose an academic program located in the heart of culture. USF’s campus is within walking distance of the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park; a short bus ride to the SFMOMA, San Francisco Ballet, and SF Opera; or an easy drive to world-class institutions in Berkeley, Oakland, Palo Alto, and San Jose.

Explore our Majors

  • Train in a studio with professional artists. Stretch your imagination and find your voice. Honor art-making in all its forms.

  • Blend history and theory with practical experience. Learn visual literacy, critical thinking, and research skills that enable you to thrive in the art world.

  • Gain hands-on experience in graphic, digital media, information, and environmental design using the latest production methods and digital technologies.

  • Architecture, community design, urban design, city planning, and landscape design — come study and practice design that makes a difference.

dancers performing at donaroo

Joshua McDermott

Director of Performance Spaces

Perform at USF's Presentation Theater

Presentation Theater is a hub of arts and culture at USF. It’s a gathering space, maker space, study space, rehearsal space, and performance space.”

Joshua McDermott

Director of Performance Spaces

Street & Music Festivals

From Outside Lands to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the J-Pop Summit to USF's Donaroo, music festivals, street fairs, and cultural celebrations are an easy way to experience the city and its diverse communities.

USF alumni giving a thumbs up
Maro Guevara ’09 Brings Life Back to San Francisco's Streets

The city streets are being transformed into platforms for community building and revitalization.

Performance Opportunities

Develop your own voice through the performing arts. Learn firsthand what it means to be a working artist using your craft to advance social justice.

Performing Arts Department

  • Turn your art into activism. You’ll learn through studio work, service-learning, and research seminars, and you'll infuse your work with your cause.

  • The Music minor is open to all students. No previous experience in music is required, and the minor is compatible with any major course of study.

  • Ideal for students who have a passion for theater, the minor allows students to specialize in either performance or technical theater/design.

Upcoming Events

March 27
Read event details: Chamber Ensemble
March 27, 2025 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Gleeson Library Thacher Gallery Event