NEXT Exhibition
Events, Performances and Exhibitions
Discover NEXT: A Celebration of Student Art
In 2021, for the first time in its history, NEXT will be a virtual experience, with a website and online performances and shows, launching on May 10, 2021. Visit next.corcoran.gwu.edu to see the show. This year, graduating students created art installations on the Foggy Bottom campus, which you can safely visit through May 31, 2021.
NEXT is an official GW bicentennial event and we celebrate its tenth anniversary. The branding for NEXT 2021 was created by graphic design students in a year-long class called DesignLab.
If you are a student participating in this year’s NEXT, you can read FAQs on how to submit your work.
What is NEXT?
The NEXT exhibition is the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design's annual celebration of the brilliance and promise of its students. Each degree program at the Corcoran requires students to successfully complete an end-of-year project and then collaborate with other programs to present an exhibition.
NEXT projects may take many forms—from written research papers to a series of paintings. They all represent a culmination of a student's learning experiences at the Corcoran and a glimpse of future promise. Students exhibit their theses and present pictorial and oral presentations of their projects to an audience of their peers, faculty and the George Washington University community.
NEXT began in 2011 at the Corcoran College of Arts and Design, and after a decade, the Corcoran continues to celebrate the accomplishments of graduating students. Read about the first ten years of NEXT.
2021 NEXT EXHIBITION
This particular year, the global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement have profoundly impacted these young artists as they both define and reflect society through creative works of art and scholarship.
2020 NEXT EXHIBITION
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the Corcoran from hosting NEXT 2020, but many student artists still found creative ways to complete or rework their projects. See the work from the Class of 2020.
2020 Exhibition Book
From theatrical performances to research papers, installations and more, NEXT is a multidisciplinary show that represents a culmination of a student’s learning experiences. Get a glimpse of their talents in 2020's NEXT Exhibition Book.
2020 Music Capstones
NEXT Music Capstones are the culminating projects for graduating music majors. These capstones may take the form of a recital, thesis, composition, or any combination of items, but all require an academic research component as part of the Music B.A. curriculum.
2020 Art History Graduation Booklet
To see examples of the class of 2020's culminating projects and work, see our Graduation Booklet (designed by Julie Hansen, B.F.A. Graphic Design '18). This booklet shows the diverse range of studies by our outstanding students in the Corcoran Art History program.
2020 Museum Studies Exhibition
In 2020, a museum studies class put together an exhibition as part of NEXT, originally to be on view at the same time as the rest of the exhibition. Their show centered on the theme that people, stories, and objects move Sometimes this is an act of individual agency, sometimes it is the consequence of systematic displacement and violence. This exhibition recovers eight stories of movement, memory, and return.
"Universal Uncertainty" - Photojournalism and Fine Art Photography Thesis Work from 2020
After their long-awaited thesis show was been postponed, the BFA students in Photojournalism and Fine Art Photography opted to present their work collectively in this publication and to put it in the hands of people with whom they hope to build professional relationships. The small selection of images contained within is only a glimpse of their larger projects. See the work of the class of 2020.
"if the sky falls / they shall have / clouds for supper" - Photography from Spring 2020 by Corcoran students
These photographs were created during the COVID-19 crisis during a time of quarantine, by the students and professor of 'Making Meaning: Narrative and the Art of the Photobook,' at the Corcoran. Photo Editing by Corcoran alumna Katie Dance and Professor Matt Eich. For a full list of the contributors, see page 78 of the book. Published by Slow Dance Press.
The Academy for Classical Acting's Radio Plays
These Radio Plays were recorded by the Academy for Classical Acting at Shakespeare Theatre Company and George Washington University (Class of 2020) in Washington, DC., during the global pandemic. Each performer recorded alone, listening to each other via the Zencastr platform. Our season is generously sponsored by Dr. Julie M. Feinsilver, and Arthur and Shirley Fergenson. Read the Washington Post's coverage of the plays.
Listen to the Radio Plays on the Shakespeare Theatre website, on Apple podcasts, Spotify or Radio Public.
NEXT FEATURED STUDENTS
Read about past years' featured students, a selection of outstanding artists, designers, performers and scholars from Corcoran's end-of-year show.
See 2019's NEXT: A Virtual Tour
FAQ'S
Read about 2021’s common questions from students about the NEXT exhibition.
