Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities

14/08/2026

Looking back at our inaugural season: Unfinished Revolutions ✨

Across a season of performance and conversation, artists, Oxford researchers and audiences came together to explore freedom, democracy, identity and belonging – and to ask what it means for a revolution to remain unfinished...

Marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Unfinished Revolutions invited new perspectives on familiar histories and explored the different ways the past continues to shape the present.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made our opening chapter one to remember. 💫

🔗 Tap through to explore moments from Unfinished Revolutions and read the full story: https://www.schwarzmancentre.ox.ac.uk/unfinished-revolutions-reflections-on-our-inaugural-cultural-season-ryh7

12/08/2026

With eyes turning to the skies this week for the solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower, it’s a moment to consider our place in the universe – and the planet we share. 🌍🌌

What happens when we zoom out – beyond cities, countries and borders – and see ourselves from a different perspective?

These questions of connection and identity are explored in Orbiting Orbital, coming to the Schwarzman Centre this November. Award-winning composer and musician Nitin Sawhney and Booker Prize-winning author Samantha Harvey join forces for a powerful new multidisciplinary work inspired by Harvey’s acclaimed novel Orbital, bringing together new poetry and music with drawings by Antony Gormley and photography by Mary McCartney.

Moving between the personal and the planetary, Orbiting Orbital explores what it means to live, feel and belong in an interconnected universe.

Nitin Sawhney
Fantasia Orchestra

Nitin Sawhney: Orbiting Orbital
6–7 November, 19:30, Sohmen Concert Hall
🎟️ Book now: https://www.schwarzmancentre.ox.ac.uk/whats-on/nitin-sawhney-orbiting-orbital-ntvf

Image: Antony Gormley

Part of Utopia Now!, our season exploring the role of the arts in making a better future possible.

05/08/2026

🚌✨ Step aboard and see Oxford like never before...

From 23 September – 11 October, When the Blackbird Sings invites you on an immersive journey through Oxford’s past, present and future, where the bus becomes part of the stage, and the city itself becomes the set.

At the heart of the story is Paulette, who leaves Jamaica for Oxford in 1966, determined to make a difference. As your journey unfolds, you’ll meet remarkable pioneers and passionate changemakers, discovering the people and moments that have shaped the city - and perhaps your own perspective too.

Written by Natty Mark Samuels, Helen Eastman, and Afsaneh Gray, and directed by Erica Whyman, this unique promenade production begins in Blackbird Leys and concludes at the Schwarzman Centre.

🚌 Performance dates: 23 September – 11 October
🚌 Return shuttle bus to Blackbird Leys available after the performance.
🎟️ Book now via the link in bio.

Artwork by Bry Leighton
whyman
Helen Eastman

Creation Theatre
Leys Blackbird

LivePerformance SchwarzmanCentre PromenadeTheatre

30/07/2026

Lunch plans? 🍽️

Whether you're looking for a mid-morning snack, a light lunch, or an afternoon treat the Schwarzman Centre has you covered.

Choose from a range of hot and cold lunch options, build your perfect bowl at the salad bar, and explore what's on today's menu.

Open to all - drop in and enjoy.

Opening hours:
☕️ Coffee bar: 8am-4pm
🍽️ Café: 8am-4pm (hot food/salads/soups until 2pm)

27/07/2026

☀️ Breakfast just got better at the Schwarzman Centre.

Join us on any weekday throughout July and August and enjoy a complimentary filter coffee or tea with your breakfast.

From healthy yoghurt with berry compote and avocado & halloumi rolls to a hearty Full English, there’s something for everyone – with all breakfast dishes under £10.

Simply show this post at the counter when you order to claim your free drink. We look forward to welcoming you!

📍Schwarzman Centre Café
🕑Weekdays, 08:00-10:00 | July & August

Breakfast Coffee VisitOxford

21/07/2026

What stories can the body tell without words?

This September, New York-based choreographer and performer Vangeline brings MAN WOMAN to the Schwarzman Centre.

Inspired by Eikoh Hosoe's photographs of Butoh's early pioneers, this visually striking performance reimagines the Japanese avant-garde dance form through a contemporary feminist lens.

Combining Vangeline's distinctive movement language with costumes by visionary q***r artist Machine Dazzle, MAN WOMAN explores transformation, identity and the body's ability to cross boundaries.

Stay after the performance for a conversation with Vangeline and Dr Alice Baldock on gender, memory and q***r aesthetics.

Want to experience Butoh for yourself? Join Vangeline's full-day Butoh Workshop on 17 September at the Old Fire Station, Oxford. Book the performance and workshop together to save 20%.

MAN WOMAN: A Butoh Fairy Tale by Vangeline
📍 19:00, 16 September | Theatre
🎟️ Book now: https://www.schwarzmancentre.ox.ac.uk/whats-on/man-woman-jg6y

Vangeline Theater / New York Butoh Institute
Old Fire Station, Oxford

📸 Michael Blase, Nic Wong

Part of Utopia Now!, a season exploring the role of the arts in imagining a better future.

14/07/2026

13/07/2026

Have you seen ROBOTA yet?

Described by WhatsOnStage as “A thrilling adventure” the show has received praise from audiences and critics for its twisty sci-fi plot, exploration of tech threats, and its celebration of what makes us human.

Don’t miss the first full-scale production in the Schwarzman Centre Theatre – closes Saturday 18 July.

https://f.mtr.cool/fselwjjket

12/07/2026

Last month, 1776 brought together the energy of hip hop and Memphis Jookin' dance in a powerful exploration of history, identity, and connection, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Through movement, the legacy of 1776 was reimagined, celebrating the power of dance to spark dialogue across generations and geographies. A co-production by the Schwarzman Centre, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company and The Lil Buck Foundation, the performance united young dancers from Memphis, London and Oxford's own Body Politic Youth.

Thank you to the remarkable dancers, and everyone who joined us for this very special performance.

Swipe through to revisit an unforgettable evening of dance. ✨





#1776

12/07/2026

AI is transforming the way we live, create, and communicate — but what does it reveal about us in return?

In the first edition of the Schwarzman Centre's magazine, Untitled, Refik Anadol, media artist and Lau Fellow in Creativity and AI, and Professor Edward Harcourt, Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI, share two perspectives on AI's place in humanity, exploring memory, creativity, consciousness, and care.

Read the full article in the digital edition of Untitled: https://www.schwarzmancentre.ox.ac.uk/the-human-factor-how-ai-turns-the-spotlight-on-us-bf7d

Refik Anadol Studio