Whether in the visual art gallery, the dance theatre, the concert hall, the recital hall, or the flexible theatre, a rich and diverse arts season awaits you.
Our vibrant arts community invites you to explore a diverse lineup showcasing the immense talent of our students and faculty. Whether you're a passionate arts enthusiast or a curious newcomer, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Discover upcoming events, reserve your tickets, and join us in celebrating the creativity and artistry at the Belhaven University School of Fine Arts.
Belhaven Arts Ablaze Schedule
Dance: Project Dance Festival
An all-day open air dance concert that is free to the public featuring local and national dance artistry in ballet, jazz, modern dance, hip hop and tap. Dancers gather with a common vision: to bring hope and healing through the universal language of dance.
- When: Saturday, October 3, 10:30am-4:00pm
- Where: LeFleur's Bluff Complex at "The Den" Museum Drive at Riverside Park Circle Jackson, Mississippi 39216
Complimentary admission.
Dance: Fall Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: November 5-7, 2026, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Once Upon a Mattress
Music by Mary Rodgers
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
Musical Direction by Chrissy Hrivnak
Choreography by Elle Ciccarone
- November 5-7 and 12-14; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- November 7 and 14; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
A timid prince with an overbearing mom. A visiting princess who is perfectly herself. And one tiny pea that changes everything. Once Upon a Mattress brings “The Princess and the Pea” to life with big laughs, bold characters, and a heroine unlike any other. Loud, fearless, and gloriously unrefined, Princess Winnifred barrels into a mid-century medieval kingdom and turns it upside down.
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, students, and BU Alumni.
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Dance: Emerging Choreographers Dance Concert
This event is produced by members of DOXA and highlights student choreography and performance.
- When: November 13 (Concert A) and November 14 (Concert B), Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
- February 18-20 and 25-27; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- February 20 and 27; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
Power changes hands. Honor masks ambition. And violence begets violence in William Shakespeare’s classic political drama Julius Caesar. With some of the most memorable lines in the canon, it’s easy to see why Julius Caesar remains one of the most widely read and performed of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The Ides of March are coming early this year. Join us February 18-27!
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, and BU Alumni
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Dance: Senior Dance Research Presentations
Senior dance majors present scholarship, lecture demonstrations, and creative process discussions on topics from the field of dance and beyond.
- When: Friday, March 19, 2:30pm
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
Complimentary admission.
Dance: Senior Dance Concert
Senior dance majors present an evening of original choreography and performance, created at the intersection of scholarship and practice. This event is sponsored by DOXA.
- When: March 19-20, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Dance: Spring Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: April 8-10, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
- February 18-20 and 25-27; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- February 20 and 27; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
Power changes hands. Honor masks ambition. And violence begets violence in William Shakespeare’s classic political drama Julius Caesar. With some of the most memorable lines in the canon, it’s easy to see why Julius Caesar remains one of the most widely read and performed of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The Ides of March are coming early this year. Join us February 18-27!
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, and BU Alumni
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Belhaven Arts Ablaze Schedule
Dance: Project Dance Festival
An all-day open air dance concert that is free to the public featuring local and national dance artistry in ballet, jazz, modern dance, hip hop and tap. Dancers gather with a common vision: to bring hope and healing through the universal language of dance.
- When: Saturday, October 3, 10:30am-4:00pm
- Where: LeFleur's Bluff Complex at "The Den" Museum Drive at Riverside Park Circle Jackson, Mississippi 39216
Complimentary admission.
Dance: Fall Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: November 5-7, 2026, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Once Upon a Mattress
Music by Mary Rodgers
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
Musical Direction by Chrissy Hrivnak
Choreography by Elle Ciccarone
- November 5-7 and 12-14; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- November 7 and 14; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
A timid prince with an overbearing mom. A visiting princess who is perfectly herself. And one tiny pea that changes everything. Once Upon a Mattress brings “The Princess and the Pea” to life with big laughs, bold characters, and a heroine unlike any other. Loud, fearless, and gloriously unrefined, Princess Winnifred barrels into a mid-century medieval kingdom and turns it upside down.
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, students, and BU Alumni.
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Dance: Emerging Choreographers Dance Concert
This event is produced by members of DOXA and highlights student choreography and performance.
- When: November 13 (Concert A) and November 14 (Concert B), Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
- February 18-20 and 25-27; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- February 20 and 27; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
Power changes hands. Honor masks ambition. And violence begets violence in William Shakespeare’s classic political drama Julius Caesar. With some of the most memorable lines in the canon, it’s easy to see why Julius Caesar remains one of the most widely read and performed of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The Ides of March are coming early this year. Join us February 18-27!
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, and BU Alumni
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
Dance: Senior Dance Research Presentations
Senior dance majors present scholarship, lecture demonstrations, and creative process discussions on topics from the field of dance and beyond.
- When: Friday, March 19, 2:30pm
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
Complimentary admission.
Dance: Senior Dance Concert
Senior dance majors present an evening of original choreography and performance, created at the intersection of scholarship and practice. This event is sponsored by DOXA.
- When: March 19-20, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Dance: Spring Dance Concert
A showcase of choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Department and members of DOXA. Styles include classical and contemporary ballet and modern dance.
- When: April 8-10, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center Studio Theatre
General Admission $10, Seniors/Students $5. Complimentary admission for Belhaven Faculty/Staff/Students and immediate families. Doors open at 6:30pm. To reserve tickets, please email dancetickets@belhaven.edu.
Theatre: Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Elissa Sartwell
- February 18-20 and 25-27; Thursday–Saturday at 7pm
- February 20 and 27; Saturday matinee at 2pm
- Blackbox Theatre
Power changes hands. Honor masks ambition. And violence begets violence in William Shakespeare’s classic political drama Julius Caesar. With some of the most memorable lines in the canon, it’s easy to see why Julius Caesar remains one of the most widely read and performed of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The Ides of March are coming early this year. Join us February 18-27!
The box office opens one week before opening night. For ticket reservations: email boxoffice@belhaven.edu or call 601-974-6478.
- Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for seniors, children, and BU Alumni
- Complimentary for Belhaven students, faculty, and staff.
- Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance time.
For further details or reservations, connect with the department sponsoring the event or performance:
| Department | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing | rsmith@belhaven.edu | 601-968-8996 |
| Dance | dance@belhaven.edu | 601-965-1400 |
| Film Production | film@belhaven.edu | 601-965-7088 |
| Music | music@belhaven.edu | 601-974-6494 |
| Theatre | boxoffice@belhaven.edu | 601-965-7026 |
| Art + Design | visualarts@belhaven.edu | 601-965-1400 |
A Celebrated Haven for Arts Education
Only 39 universities in the U.S. are accredited in all major arts. Belhaven is one. That means master classes, great performances, and national competitions. When you study art, dance, music, or theatre here, you’re earning a degree from a nationally recognized school for the arts.
Verse of the Year
Go and make disciples of all the nations ... And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20