The Festival of the Arts is a culmination of GCDS student accomplishments from the year across music, dance, visual, and performing arts.
The arts are a central part of the GCDS curriculum from Nursery through Grade 12. From an early age, our students are taught fundamental skills and are encouraged to develop a passion in any or all of our core art programs.
The GCDS Festival of the Arts is a month-long celebration of artistic expression told through movement, song, theatre, and works created by our student artists.
Please join us for the opening events of the Festival of the Arts on Sunday, May 3, 2026:
3:00 p.m. - Refreshments on the Old Church Road Performing Arts Center
3:15 p.m. - Program kick-off and introduction of Artist In Residence, Anne Patterson
3:30 p.m. - Visit art exhibitions in Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and Middle School divisions
Below is a full itinerary of events for our 2026 Festival of the Arts.
2026 GCDS Festival of the Arts Artist in Residence:
Anne Patterson '75
GCDS Alumnus Anne Patterson is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Her body of work consists of paintings, sculptures and large-scale multimedia installations that combine sculpture, architecture, lighting, video, music and scent. Drawing from her background in theater set design she uses these modalities to create an artistic practice, hovering somewhere between the visual, experiential and immersive.
Patterson’s large-scale installations have filled cathedrals, office buildings, and galleries across the country with miles of fabric, aluminum ribbon, and metal birds.
Anne has exhibited widely including solo exhibitions. Her work has been shown at The Trapholt Museum, Denmark; Cristina Grajales, New York; Scope Art Fair, Miami; Aqua Art Fair, Miami; Building Bridges Art Exchange, Los Angeles; Valerie Dillon Gallery, New York; Denise Bibro, New York; Cade Tompkins Projects, Providence, RI; Jessica Hagen Gallery, Newport, RI, and One Twelve Gallery, Atlanta. Her paintings and sculptures are in private, public, and corporate collections across the U.S. and in London.
Learn More About Anne Patterson
Thursday, April 30
10:20 - 11:00 a.m. - Gallery Walk
Stanwich Road Campus
6:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Upper School Visual Arts & Senior Portfolio Exhibition
Stanwich Road Campus
6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Performing Arts Diploma Showcase
Stanwich Road Campus, Upper School Band Room
Sunday, May 3
3:00 - 5:00 p.m. - Festival of the Arts Grand Opening, Grades N-12
Old Church Road Campus
- 3:00 p.m. - Refreshments - Performing Arts Center (PAC)
- 3:15 p.m. - Program kick-off and introduction of Artist in Residence, Anne Patterson
Performing Arts Center - 3:30 p.m. - Visit Divisional Exhibitions (LES, UES, MS)
Tuesday, May 5
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grade 5 Piano Recital
Old Church Road Campus, Middle School Band Room
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Grade 3 Piano Recital
Laubscher/Newport
Old Church Road Campus, Middle School Band Room
Wednesday, May 6
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Nursery Play (for parents)
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grade 4 Piano Recital
Old Church Road Campus, Middle School Band Room
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Grades 6&7 Piano Recitals
Old Church Road Campus, Middle School Band Room
Thursday, May 7
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grade 5 Piano Recital
Old Church Road Campus, Middle School Band Room
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Grade 3 Piano Recital
Puntereri / Morris / Hanson
Old Church Road Campus, Middle School Band Room
7:00 p.m.
Upper School Spring Concert
NEW! The premiere of A Hundred Years' Roar - a musical piece commissioned for the GCDS Centennial
Old Church Road Campus, Performing Arts Center
Friday, May 8
9:00 a.m. - Grandparents and Grandfriends Day (N-8).
Celebrated each year on the Friday in May before Mother's Day, Grandparents and Grandfriends Day is a special Greenwich Country Day School tradition.
Old Church Road Campus, The DON
Saturday, May 9
4:00 & 7:00 p.m.
Dance Showcase, N- 12
Old Church Road Campus, Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, May 13
6:00 p.m.
Upper Elementary Instrumental Spring Concert, Grades 3 - 5
Old Church Road Campus, Performing Arts Center
7:30 p.m.
Middle School Instrumental Spring Concert, Grades 6 - 8
Old Church Road Campus, Performing Arts Center
Thursday, May 14
8:30 & 9:30 a.m
Grade 1 Plays: Stern / Schoen
Library Lion (for parents)
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
Tuesday, May 19
8:30 a.m.
Grade 1 Play: Fineman
Library Lion (for parents)
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
6:30 p.m.
Upper Elementary School Musical
Annie Jr. (Orange cast)
Old Church Road Campus, Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, May 20
6:30 p.m.
Upper Elementary School Musical
Annie Jr. (Black cast)
Old Church Road Campus, Performing Arts Center
Thursday, May 21
8:30 a.m. & 9:30 a.m.
Grade 1 Play Amado / Schofield
Library Lion (for parents)
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
Tuesday, May 26
7:00 p.m.
HALO Awards for Upper School Theater
Palace Theater, Waterbury, CT
Wednesday, May 27
5:00 p.m.
Grade 8 Piano Recital
Stanwich Road Campus, Choir Room
6:00 p.m.
Grades 9-12 Piano Recital
Stanwich Road Campus, Choir Room
Thursday, May 28
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Grade 1 Piano Recital
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grade 2 Piano Recital
Pajonas / Amaro
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Grade 2 Piano Recital
DiMinno / Nadler / Warren
Old Church Road Campus, Lower Elementary School Molinari Hall
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Upper School Student Cabaret
Stanwich Road Campus, Band Room
Enjoy Festival of the Arts Highlights!
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