UCLA PRESENTS THE BEST in arts and culture, community events, sports and entertainment. From fabulous film screenings and amazing art exhibitions, a UCLA summer has a slew of experiences unlike any other. For more UCLA events, visit community.ucla.edu.
JULY 15 | 7:30 P.M.
Under the Gavel: Reviewing the Supreme Court’s Most Recent Term
An all-star panel of legal scholars take to the Hammer Museum floor to discuss some of the most impactful Supreme Court cases since June 2024. With more major rulings to come this summer, the panel will reflect on the most pressing cases in recent history and consider what those landmark cases mean for upcoming decisions. Panelists include: Cary Franklin, who holds the McDonald/Wright Chair of Law and is faculty director of the Center on Reproductive Health, Law and Policy; Justin Levitt, the White House’s first Senior Policy Advisor for Democracy and Voting Rights (2021–22) and Loyola Marymount University law professor; Euguene Volokh, UCLA’s Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law; and Jennifer Chacón, professor of law at Stanford University. This panel will touch on topics such as the power of the president to control personnel and policy at federal agencies, racial gerrymandering and the denial of gender-affirming medical care for minors. This event, just like admission to the Hammer Museum at UCLA, is “free for good,” no reservation required.
THROUGH SUMMER
Construction, Occupation at the Fowler Museum
In 2016, Brazilian low-wage workers, refugees and artists occupied the abandoned 17-story Cambridge Hotel in São Paulo, creating the “Cambridge Artistic Residency.” What was once a dilapidated symbol of wealth transformed into an unofficial artistic residency program — eventually becoming a hub for art, community, culture and socioeconomic equality. This year, the Fowler Museum at UCLA explores the significance of the Cambridge Artistic Residency (Residência Artística Cambridge) and the intersections of art, activism and social justice in urban transformation. Featuring 24 artists and curated by UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance professor Alex Ungprateeb Flynn, the exhibition features photography, video and installations from the original residency program in 2016 while also showcasing newly commissioned works connecting the urban landscapes of São Paulo and L.A. See the exhibition right on campus at your leisure this summer, no reservations or purchase necessary.
JUNE 28–AUGUST 30 | 1 P.M.
Saturday Exhibition Tours: Noah Davis
If you haven’t already seen the newest exhibition at the Hammer Museum, this is your chance for a perfect introduction. This summer’s Noah Davis exhibition is a short one — only lasting three months — but is well worth your time, especially when led through each piece by Hammer curatorial experts. Every Saturday, a Hammer educator leads conversation-based tours through Noah Davis, no purchase necessary. Just show up at 1 p.m., beginning June 28, and ride the Noah Davis wave.
JULY 13–AUGUST 17
(Dis)placement: Fluctuations of Home
What it means to be housed — and to truly feel at home — is always changing in an age of ongoing displacement. In Los Angeles alone, over 75,000 people are unhoused while officials struggle to implement lasting solutions and neighbors fight to preserve communities made vibrant by longtime residents. The new (Dis)placement film series from the UCLA Film & Television Archive examines themes of home and house both in Los Angeles and within a global context. From South Central L.A. to Washington, D.C., to Palestine, these films examine the fragile, shifting meaning of home not just as shelter but as identity, belonging and collective memory. The series begins July 13 with a short film series on fluctuations of home from across the country and around the world at the Billy Wilder Theater. As always, the Archive’s screenings are completely free.
JULY 18 & AUGUST 15 | 5 P.M.
3rd Thursdays at the Botanical Garden
Missing First Thursdays? Not to worry, the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden has got your back. Third Thursdays at UCLA’s botanical garden is the ideal summer twilight session to meet new friends, drink at the wine bar, enjoy live music and just kick back. Watch the sunset from one of the greatest living museums in Los Angeles and spend your summer where you should be — 707 Tiverton Drive, of course. This event is open to all ages and tickets are $10; purchase them here.
JULY 25–AUGUST 15
The Devil Finds Work: James Baldwin’s Cinema of the Mind
Though he’s best known for his novels and essays, James Baldwin moonlighted as a film critic through his book-length essay, The Devil Finds Work. Written as part memoir and part critique, Baldwin unravels the relationships between race, American culture and cinema through the films that most impacted his life. This summer, the UCLA Film & Television Archive presents a series on Baldwin’s “Cinema of the Mind,” screening films directly mentioned and explored by Baldwin in The Devil Finds Work. The series opens on June 25 with an introduction to James Baldwin’s views of race and cinema. There will be multiple short excerpts from historic influential films first introduced to Baldwin, but also contemporary documentaries on how Baldwin became the writer and icon we understand today. From there on out, the screenings will feature the most important films of Baldwin’s lifetime, from The Exorcist to Tales of Manhattan. No need to buy a ticket; just check the schedule and come down to the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum — James Baldwin is waiting for you.
JULY 26–SEPTEMBER 27
Fun fact: The UCLA Film & Television Archive holds one of the largest archival television collections in the United States, with over 170,000 holdings documenting the entire course of American broadcast history. Archive Television Treasures draws from this vast repository and presents everything from 35mm prints, 16mm kinescopes and 2-inch videotapes. This series continues into the summer with screenings for film buffs and casual watchers alike. In July, come see a “space age TV rarity”: William Shatner starring in “Night of the Auk,” a 1960 Broadway play about a U.S. government space flight that predates Star Trek. In August, come see producer and director Jack Webb’s Dragnet episode “The Big LSD” (1967). Arguably one of the most famous police procedural crime dramas of all time, Dragnet brought technicolor to his stories of Detective Joe Friday maintaining order in the flower child era. Come September, see a range of works from horror legend Vincent Price, a Renaissance man known for an unpretentious off-screen nature and an onscreen passion for blood-curdling terror. All this and more at the Billy Wilder Theater, no purchase necessary.
JULY 29–AUGUST 7
Henry J. Bruman Summer Chamber Music Festival
Summer is finally here: What better way to relax during your lunch hour than by listening to classical music — in person or via livestream? It’s time for the annual Henry J. Bruman Summer Chamber Music Festival, presented by the UCLA Center for 17th- and 18th-Century Studies, which brings a series of free lunch-hour concerts to the UCLA campus. This year’s festival features four concerts from late July to mid-August, each taking place from noon to 1 p.m. in Lani Hall, located inside the Schoenberg Music Building. All concerts are free and open to the public; no registration required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
AUGUST 5 | 7:30 P.M.
A Geffen Playhouse Special Edition: Beyond the Barracks
The Geffen Playhouse couldn’t just end their 2024–25 season without a little something special. In a one-night-only special performance, the 2025 Veterans Writing & Performance Workshop graduates will share their performances. As part of an education program at the Geffen Playhouse, an ensemble of 10 military veterans from all branches has come together to share a unique (truly once-in-a-lifetime) play with you. It’s taken blood, sweat and tears — and 10 grueling weeks at the Geffen — but the long-anticipated curtain call awaits. This performance is an evening of veteran cultural identity monologues, meaning each veteran will share whatever their story looks like in their own creative way. There’s no exact way to describe how these 10 individual stories will come alive, but surely the Geffen boot camp has prepared them well. Purchase tickets at your optional price here (all proceeds from the Pay What You Can tickets will go toward future veteran workshops at the Playhouse).
AUGUST 7–21
Celebrates 18 (18!!) years of iconic JazzPOP this summer at the Hammer Museum. In honor of JazzPOP officially becoming an adult, the Hammer is going all out. Enjoy three consecutive Thursday night concerts starting August 7, right in the Hammer courtyard. Alto saxophonist Nicole McCabe kicks the series off, infusing her jazz roots with electronic and exploratory music alongside her pianist, drummer and bassist. On August 14, West Coast jazz legend Bobby Bradford takes the stage with a special musical tribute to Jackie Robinson. Closing out is trombonist, composer and bandleader Naomi Moon Siegel, who fuses jazz of the past with jazz of the future to achieve a time-bending sound. Every night of JazzPOP is completely free, no reservation required.
AUGUST 23 | 1 P.M.
Itching to see elite volleyball and enjoy the last spikes of summer? Come see the Bruins take on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos in an exhibition match this August in Santa Barbara’s “The Thunderdome.” This is a chill, low-stakes matchup for our women that kicks off the start of all Bruin athletics, so come take a gander and enjoy a day trip to Santa Barbara while you’re at it! Watch out for tickets and if you’re still antsy, keep your eyes on the countdown to the start of the 2025–26 Bruin Athletics season here.
AUGUST 30 | 8 P.M.
Bruins football is back! The boys in blue and gold return to the Rose Bowl for the season opener against the University of Utah. Time to dust off your BearWear, fire up the grill and get ready for another great season in Pasadena. Get your season tickets or watch out for single game tickets here.
JULY 8–SEPTEMBER 23
This summer, the Classroom offers a career-enhancing, dynamic 12-week course created with your goals in mind. Career panels, resume workshops, cover letter strategies, job offer negotiations, networking — the Classroom is here to help with all of this and more. Designed to help you navigate the challenges of starting your career, this program offers you a wealth of strategies and opportunities to grow and succeed in your personal and professional endeavors. From personalized one-on-one coaching to an expertly crafted curriculum, you’ll gain the tools and insights to thrive in the professional world. Plus, you’ll join a community of Bruins who are eager to support your journey.
Each week explores a different theme and features a fresh set of guest speakers, expertly trained on that week’s focus. Led by Amy Rueda, a 25-year veteran of executive search, the Classroom is ready to help you take the next big step, whatever that may look like. Each class takes place Tuesdays at noon over Zoom, no purchase required. Enroll in all 12 weeks or go á la carte; just email arueda@support.ucla.edu to RSVP.
JULY 26 | 10 A.M.
Bruin Family Socials bring UCLA to neighborhoods around the world, providing an opportunity for Bruins of all kinds to engage with one another on a regional level. Historically, Bruin Family Socials have taken place over the course of one weekend each year but have since transitioned to a year-round model that accommodates more students, faculty and alumni.
AUGUST 24 | 5:30 P.M.
Hollywood Bowl: Celebrating the Music of John Williams
Considered the “Maestro of the Movies,” John Williams is the brilliant musical mind behind some of your favorite movies, including Jaws, Schindler’s List, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. In his seven-decade career, he’s earned the second-most Academy Award nominations ever (only behind Walt Disney). Now, hear his legendary film scores live at the Hollywood Bowl. Join the UCLA Alumni Association in their preconcert picnic before shuttling to the Bowl for the main event. Email jsdavid18@gmail.com to RSVP and get the details about where the picnicking will be and how to get your tickets.
