VCU School of the Arts honored its newest graduating class at a special Commencement Celebration at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 8 at the historic Altria Theater. The school recognized 781 undergraduate and graduate students as they celebrated one of life’s major milestones.
This special event was more than a celebration of degrees earned. It signaled a new beginning for this next generation of artists and designers. It speaks to the Class of 2026’s artistry, resilience and remarkable journey.
At VCUarts, Commencement is more than an event. It’s a celebration of the arts. The ceremony begins with a live percussion rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance” for the graduates procession, performed largely by VCU alumni, driving the energy throughout the theater.
The music gave way to movement. Current Dance + Choreography students performed, offering a preview of the stage they will stand on as graduates in just a few years. For more than a decade, the choreography has been created fresh each year but always includes a signature moment: the dancers spell out “VCUarts” with their bodies, a nod to every student and program in the school. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
Carmenita Higginbotham, dean of the VCU School of the Arts offered encouraging words to graduates.
“Remember, an arts education inherently fosters innovation. You will drive innovation across whatever sector you choose, because you learned to imagine what does not yet exist and bring it to life. That’s what it means to be in the arts.”
Graduates from December 2025 and spring and summer 2026 had the opportunity to walk across the Altria Theater stage with their classmates, celebrate with their professors and advisors and hear their name announced in recognition of their impressive achievements.
This year’s keynote speaker was Wei Dong, M.F.A. ’88, an internationally recognized artist, designer and scholar. Forty years ago, he arrived in Richmond with just $5 in his pocket, one of the first self-funded Chinese students to come to the United States. Dong delivered a heartfelt speech.
“Do not create by guessing what others want. Create the work that moves you—the work that feels alive, that may not be perfect, but is honest and deeply yours. Art begins where certainty ends. Artists expand what the world believes is possible.”
VCUarts faculty, advisors and staff as well as hundreds of family members and friends were there to cheer them on. The band captured the mood of the day, playing the iconic, high-energy New Orleans second-line anthem “Do What You Wanna” by the Rebirth Brass Band—full of improvisation and vibrant second-line spirit—sending graduates into their next chapter in exactly the right mood.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
