The Cohen New Works Festival

dancers on floor new works festival

The Cohen New Works Festival is a biennial, week-long showcase of new work created by students at The University of Texas at Austin held in various locations in and around UT campus. It is not just an event, but a celebration of a continuously ongoing process–the creation of new work.


The Cohen New Works Festival was named in honor of David Mark Cohen in 2001, former head of playwriting for The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance. Cohen was killed in a car crash on December 23, 1997, but during his life, he was an adamant supporter of new work. In his honor the Cohen New Works Festival continues to explore the endless possibilities of devised and collaborative new work.

Today, the Festival has evolved to include not just plays, but all mediums of student-generated work. It is the largest festival of its kind, run and organized entirely by a committee of graduate and undergraduate students with the support of faculty co-producers.


dancer in colorful feather headdress
Past Festivals

Learn more about previous iterations of The Cohen New Works Festival.

400+

PROJECTS CREATED 

The Cohen New Works Festival showcases dynamic plays, wild performances, original dance, new music, invigorating design and visionary direction. 

15+

YEARS SUPPORTING OUR ARTISTIC COMMUNITY  


The festival exists to support, promote and champion original, student-generated work across a variety of artistic mediums. 

35+

GO! GRANTS


The Go! Grants program is an exciting opportunity for UT students to receive summer funding in support of collaborative projects. 

11K+

DOLLARS DONATED


All donations contribute to the New Works Festival budget which supports the creation of new work and festival operations. 

30+

2020 FESTIVAL PROJECTS


The 2020 Cohen New Works Festival was the largest, most ambitious festival yet, featuring 38 new creative works. 

17K+

FESTIVAL ATTENDEES


Since the beginning, we have welcomed thousands of university students, Austin locals and artists from around the world to witness the creative heart of UT.