Excitement in front of the Stuart Art Collection's Fallen Star embodies the best of art and science at UC San Diego.

There is a uniquely elevating alliance between the pursuits of a major public research university and the expression of art. Art and research both address the most important questions of our time with ambition and intellectual courage. Both ask important questions that propel discussion and discovery. And both respond to humanity in meaningful and impactful ways. And on a campus like UC San Diego, art and science influence each other.

For example, using hydrophones, researchers from our Scripps Institution of Oceanography captured sounds in the Arctic Ocean that no one had heard before. Upon hearing the recordings, a group of artists/scholars led by Professor Lei Liang composed Hearing Seascapes, a series of pieces that explored the origins of these sounds and why we were hearing them.

Lei Liang and co-composers explain and discuss the creation of Hearing Seascapes.

Their work evokes the realities of the impact of climate change and forces important conversations required for change to happen. It is this kind of expression and artistry that demonstrates UC San Diego’s unique distinction of being created and born as an experimental campus. It is but one of many compelling examples.

UC San Diego has always been home to trailblazing visual and performing arts. Tritons enjoy and inspire art that is bold, fresh and unafraid to explore, discover and declare. The opening of the Epstein Family Amphitheater this past weekend continues that tradition and firmly establishes UC San Diego as the region’s newest destination for arts and culture. It is the second arts venue we inaugurated this year, having opened the Guggenheim Theater at UC San Diego Park & Market in downtown earlier this summer.

The San Diego Symphony plays at the opening of the Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego. 

The state-of-the-art Epstein Family Amphitheater joins a collection of crowd favorites on our campus, including the Conrad Prebys Music Center, the Loft, Art Power, Birch Aquarium, Mandell Weiss Center for the Performing Arts, University Art Galleries, Stuart Collection of public art, and the La Jolla Playhouse.

The convergence of dreams and expertise brought to life the new state-of-the-art Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego.

Spaces like these open minds and forge strong connections. They enrich the residents of our bi-national region. And they heighten the community’s intellectual and emotional ownership of one of its most prized public assets – its premier public university.

Spaces like these also remind us that there is so much more to UC San Diego than excellent education, impactful research, and world-class healthcare. It is a place where individuals with diverse viewpoints, experiences and expertise come together to share, explore, discover and create something for the greater good.

UC San Diego provides exceptional access to art and culture via public performances and art shows each year. The Epstein Family Amphitheater helps us expand those offerings to wider audiences. San Diegans will enjoy everything from large-scale rock concerts to classical quartets and theatrical dance. 

The Epstein Family Amphitheater confirms our commitment to provide access to arts, culture, education and entertainment to all. Made possible by the generous support of Dan, Phyllis and the entire Epstein family, San Diego has a new home to showcase the very best of our campus, our region and beyond. 

Come explore your curiosities at UC San Diego. Experience a performance in the stunning new Epstein Family Amphitheater. Catch an independent or foreign film at Media Arts’ Digital Gym Cinema at Park & Market. See and learn about Blue Penguins at the Birch Aquarium. Or take in the excitement of NCAA Division 1 sports. UC San Diego is for everyone.