Two terms of this academic year have already flown by, and many students have come to know the Schwarzman Centre as another part of Oxford’s remarkable landscape of study spaces, libraries, and teaching spaces. By the time the next cohort arrives in Michaelmas, however, it seems the Centre will begin to open itself up in new and exciting ways.
Applications are now open for the very first student performance slot in the theatre at the Schwarzman Centre, as part of its upcoming Student Making Week (MT26). Running from 21–27 November 2026, this opportunity invites student-makers to stage work within the Centre’s Cultural Programme, under the theme Utopia Now.
What is particularly striking is the openness of the call. Proposals are welcomed not only for fully staged productions, but also for works in progress—script-in-hand performances, rehearsed readings, or pieces still in development. In Oxford, we have perhaps become accustomed to pitching shows that feel “finished” to an exceptional standard, even when they experiment with improvisation or audience interaction. This, by contrast, feels like a rare and valuable space for experimentation, risk-taking, and the emergence of new ideas, explicitly welcoming “all forms and styles of theatre making and performance.”
Ahead of this, the Open Day on the 25th April will offer a first glimpse into how the Centre’s spaces might be used, allowing visitors to experience the building in person. With ensembles, opportunities to meet academics and artists, and a programme including circus, dance, talks, and performance excerpts, it promises to be a vibrant showcase of performance and creativity across the humanities.
This sits within an already vibrant drama and performance culture at Oxford. The Oxford University Drama Society (OUDS) is a central part of that community – anyone who has spent time here will likely have seen, taken part in, or been involved in performances, often many more than a few! Student shows are everywhere, and they play such an important role socially, as well as a creative and intellectual outlet alongside academic work.
This term alone has demonstrated the strength of that scene, with moments such as the inaugural student show at the Grove Theatre in Magdalen College, a new addition to Oxford’s performance spaces. This open slot feels like a continuation of these fantastic developments, and it is exciting to see it take shape. There is a clear sense of momentum, and the feeling that something is continuing to build.
More than anything, this moment serves as a reminder of the value of the humanities, and of the creative practices and people that sustain them. The Schwarzman Centre has the potential to house new and exciting performances, as well as to support new ways of making and thinking. Bringing Oxford students into this space broadens these horizons of possibility even further, and it feels as though a new and interesting avenue has opened up. The stage is set; now it’s a question of what stories will unfold upon it!
