Festival of Monsters 2025

The Festival of Monsters returns for the annual academic conference with public performances, installations, readings, and more. Learn more about the Center for Monster Studies here and refer to the full schedule of events, below, for individual event details.

Co-presented by the UC Santa Cruz Center for Monster Studies, Department of Performance, Play & Design, The Humanities Institute (THI), and Porter College.
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ADMISSION
– Open to the public
– Some events have required registration; refer to individual event listings in the full schedule of events
– UCSC students, faculty, and staff registration HERE
– Academic conference registration for non-affiliates HERE
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AUDIENCE ADVISORIES
– Mature themes and content
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
– Wed. Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m, Museum of Art & History (MAH): David Livingstone Smith Keynote
– Thurs. Oct. 16, 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m, UCSC Digital Arts Research Center (DARC): Conference Panels, Kim Lau keynote
– Fri. Oct. 17, 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m, UCSC Digital Arts Research Center (DARC): Conference Panels, Jeffery Jerome Cohen keynote
– Fri. Oct. 17, 8:30 p.m.–11:30 p.m, UCSC Digital Arts Research Center—DARC 108: Monsters Ball (previously advertised location of the Hay Barn was incorrect)
– Sat. Oct. 18, 11:00 a.m, Bookshop Santa Cruz: “Oh! The Horror” Writers Panel
– Sat. Oct. 18, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m, Atlantis Fantasyworld: Cole Lemke, Horror Comic Artist
– Sat. Oct. 18, 6:00 p.m, Game Santa Cruz: “Blood on the Clocktower”
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.