BRIDGEWATER, VA (Rocktown Now) — Bridgewater College has announced the schedule for Spring 2026 events.

View the list below:

On Display Now – Saturday, April 11
Special Collections Exhibition: “Standing in the Spotlight: Bridgewater College Theatre Through the Years”
Lower Level of the Forrer Learning Commons

This exhibition showcases BC’s rich theatre traditions through a display of photographs and artifacts from the early 1900s until today. The exhibit is curated by Special Collections Librarian Stephanie S. Gardner.

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Wednesday, Jan. 7 – Wednesday, Feb. 4
Art Exhibition: “Pollinator Friendly: Celebrating and Conserving Virginia’s Native Bees” by Scott Jost
Beverly Perdue Art Gallery, Forrer Learning Commons

About 3,600 bee species are native to the United States, and nearly 500 are native to Virginia. Native bees pollinate an estimated 80 percent of flowering plants around the world, including agricultural crops and plants that are critical to natural ecosystems on which all life depends.

Color photographs and short videos in the exhibit introduce native bees and some of the local people who are caring for and conserving them. According to Jost, this exhibit reveals the beauty and importance of native bees, raises awareness about threats they face, and provides resources for those who are interested in helping native bees flourish. 

Scott Jost is professor of art at Bridgewater College. He earned a B.A. in art from Bethel College in Kansas and an M.F.A. in art from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Reception: Monday, Jan. 12, 5-7 p.m.
Artist’s Talk: Monday, Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m.

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Monday, Jan. 19
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Members of the community are invited to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with the college’s annual celebration, “Celebrating the Dream, Continuing the Journey.”

Events will include a Community March in collaboration with the Town of Bridgewater and meal packaging with the non-profit Rise Against Hunger. Details to come in early January.

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Wednesday, Jan. 21
Endowed Lecture: Irshad Manji
Cole Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Irshad Manji will speak on “Building Conversation Across Divides,” and then sign copies of her latest book, Don’t Label Me, a guide to disagreeing better.

Manji is the founder of Moral Courage College, which equips people worldwide to turn heated issues into healthy conversations and sustained teamwork. The recipient of Oprah’s “Chutzpah Award” for boldness, Manji is also an internationally bestselling author. Formerly a professor of leadership at New York University, Manji now teaches with Oxford University’s Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights.

The endowed lecture is sponsored by the Anna B. Mow Symposium on Comparative Religious Ethics.

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Monday, Feb. 9 – Wednesday, March 18
Art Exhibition: “Studies in Color” by Kathleen Johnston
Beverly Perdue Art Gallery, Forrer Learning Commons

Kathleen Johnston’s abstract paintings explore with marks, lines, shapes and, most importantly, color. Inspired by artists such as Mark Rothko and Paul Klee, Johnston says her paintings are translations of the stories she hears, sees and feels. Her show at BC is collection of abstract paintings exploring how we respond to different hues, values and saturations of colors within various grid like arrangements.

Johnston is an artist living in Harrisonburg, Va. She earned a B.S. in studio art with a minor in art education from James Madison University. Her artwork often reflects from both being a mother and her many years working with children as an art educator. Her paintings can be found in collections throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Reception: Monday, Feb. 9, 5-7 p.m.
Artist’s Talk: Monday, Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m.

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Sunday, March 22
Jazz Band Concert
Cole Hall, 3 p.m.

BC’s jazz musicians include trumpeters, trombonists, saxophonists and a rhythm section. They collaborate with other musicians, and it is not unusual to hear flute, clarinet, tuba, or vocalists at their shows. Concert programs include traditional big band swing, progressive jazz, and contemporary arrangements of pop music.

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Monday, March 23 – Friday, April 10
Art Exhibition: Bridgewater Juried Student Show
Beverly Perdue Art Gallery, Forrer Learning Commons

An exhibition of artwork created by both majors and non-art majors during the past school year. This is a chance for students to show some of the wonderful projects they have been working on in and outside of class.

Reception: Monday, March 23, 5-7 p.m.

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Wednesday, March 25
Endowed Lecture: Maggie Jackson
Cole Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Maggie Jackson will speak about her recent book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, which explores why we should seek not-knowing in an era of flux and angst. A book signing will follow her talk.

Nominated for a National Book Award and named an Amazon Top New Release, Uncertain was selected as a top book of 2023 and 2024 multiple times, including as one of the 25 best non-fiction titles of 2024 according to the Next Big Idea Club led by Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink and Adam Grant. Lauded as “surprising and practical” (Gretchen Rubin) and “remarkable and persuasive” (Library Journal), Uncertain has been featured in media worldwide and is set to appear in multiple languages.

The endowed lecture is sponsored by the Anna B. Mow Symposium on Comparative Religious Ethics.

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Sunday, March 29
Symphonic Band Concert
Cole Hall, 3 p.m. 

BC’s Symphonic Band is a large ensemble that programs a diversity of musical styles and historical periods. Concerts typically include standards of the wind band repertoire, transcriptions and pieces highlighting the best contemporary band composers. The Symphonic Band also has a proud tradition of commissioning and premiering new works.

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Wednesday, April 1
Spring Choral Concert
Carter Center for Worship and Music, 7 p.m.

BC’s three choral ensembles—Concert Choir, Chorale and Treble Choir—will perform. Students in Concert Choir sing in a variety of languages and in a full range of styles including masterpieces of the Western classical canon, lively gospel arrangements and modern works highlighting the latest trends in choral composition. The 25-member Chorale performs a wide range of repertoire and performs pieces from all historical eras and a variety of cultures. Treble Choir features soprano and alto singers who perform challenging works for high voices.

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Tuesday, April 7 – Friday, April 10
ASPIRE
Time and location TBA

Students showcase their academic achievements during A Celebration of the Arts, Scholarship, Performance, Innovation and Research Excellence (ASPIRE). There will be student talks, panel discussions, performances and poster sessions across campus. Full schedule available in early April.

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Monday, April 20 – Friday, May 1
Art Exhibition: Senior Thesis Exhibitions
Various locations on campus

This show is a presentation of work by Bridgewater graduating senior art majors as part of their thesis requirement. Each student will exhibit the culmination of four years of work and development. Their work will be exhibited in locations across campus.

Reception: Monday, April 20, 5-7 p.m.
Artists’ Talks: Wednesday, April 22, 7-9 p.m.