Kendra Lecault-Hughes – Contributor

“I’ve been here three years, am a double-major student, and this is the best BU event I have ever been to.” – Anonymous Attendee of Nova Amora Masquerade Ball

Yes. You read that right. Hearing it in person from a masked dancer at our Nova Amora Masquerade Ball on Feb. 14, 2026, was even more surprising. There I was, worrying that our marketing and production efforts had fallen flat, believing that people no longer cared about the arts. Thinking that even if they did, they can’t pull themselves away from their screens long enough to show up. Well, that night proved me wrong. More than that, it inspired me.

The Bishop’s University Arts Festival is not just an artistic showcase. It’s a cultural reset that this university desperately needs. 

Image courtesy of BUAF

The goal of the BU Arts Fest is simple: to show the BU community that art can be whatever you make it. It is versatile, interpretive and often interactive in ways people don’t initially expect. When our marketing team conducted research last fall, over 30 per cent of our survey respondents said opportunities to directly engage with art and socialize with like-minded peers motivated them to attend art events. That insight led to the inclusion of a workshop on opening day to create your personalized mask for our closing masquerade ball. Participants didn’t just observe the festival; they built it with their own hands. 

Art is more than paintings behind glass cases in a museum. It can be loud, raw, playful and communal. It can be crafting a persona, learning to waltz, dressing boldly and forming connections that wouldn’t otherwise exist. During our Odyssey reading, the Open Mic in the Gait and our Masquerade, I saw students from every social group find common ground. 

You might argue that BU already offers more well-established events where students gather, dress up and celebrate. Of course, I’m referring to gatherings such as Gait Nights and Winterfest. So why attend BUAF, a newer initiative with changing programming each year? I’ll tell you why. BUAF is more accessible (this year was entirely free), and it celebrates individuality. Instead of blending into a crowd out of habit or peer pressure, students get to support artists and express themselves in their most authentic form. In a career-oriented environment, BUAF helps students stand out. It is also an invaluable experiential learning opportunity for Humanities students. As this year’s BUAF Marketing Communications Manager, I experienced firsthand how the festival is enriched by academic discipline and fosters collaboration between departments like Classics, Music, Sociology and Arts Administration. 

For visitors and organizers alike, the BU Arts Festival builds bridges across the social groups of our community. In a time dominated by the rise in artificial intelligence, virtual interactions and hate-culture, the BUAF helps students disconnect and gather in real-time to celebrate human connection and creativity. Like the theme of this year’s edition, “Constellation,” it linked us to our pasts, celebrated our present and illuminated our futures. 

Art is the language of time. Don’t let that time be wasted.