ArtCenter College of Design Holds Spring 2026 Commencement in Pasadena

ArtCenter College of Design holds its Spring 2026 commencement Saturday morning in Pasadena, with California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez delivering the keynote address and the College conferring honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degrees on three recipients.

The private, ticketed ceremony begins at 10 a.m., according to an April 16 announcement from the College. The body of that announcement places the ceremony at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St., while a logistics block within the same announcement lists the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The announcement does not reconcile the two references. A free public exhibition of graduating student work, the Spring 2026 Grad Show, follows from noon to 5 p.m. in Exhibit Halls A and B at the Pasadena Convention Center.

ArtCenter, founded in Pasadena in 1930, is presenting work from more than 330 graduating undergraduate and graduate students at the Grad Show, which the College described in its announcement as “one of the West Coast’s largest exhibitions of its kind.” The exhibition spans fine art, photography, animation, concept design, creative direction, media design, film, game design, illustration, graphic design, interaction design, product design, spatial experience design, furniture and lighting, and transportation design.

Sen. Pérez, who chairs the California Senate Education Committee, was identified by ArtCenter as a longtime advocate for higher education who has championed policies that expand college access and support student success across the state.

During the ceremony, the College is conferring honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degrees on Pérez; the late Alyce de Roulet Williamson, a philanthropist, trustee emeritus and founder of ArtCenter100; and Phillip Sarofim, a trustee, business leader, and founder and CEO of Trousdale Ventures, according to the announcement.

Two graduating students are also delivering remarks: valedictorian Jakub Zegzulka, an Interaction Design graduate, and Student Leadership Award recipient Katie Murphy, an Illustration graduate.

“I am always inspired by the imagination, creativity and professional-level talent on view at Grad Show, and it is especially rewarding to see how much it resonates with visitors and recruiters,” Karen Hofmann, president of ArtCenter College of Design, said in the announcement. “As these graduating students transition from campus studies to careers, this work demonstrates that they are prepared to lead as creatives with ideas that will have real impact on the world around us.”

The Grad Show is free and open to the public with no RSVP required, the College said. Related events tied to the graduating class include the Days of Future Past — 2026 Grad Art MFA Exhibition at ArtCenter’s South Campus, 950 S. Raymond Ave., which is on view through May 22.

Information about ArtCenter’s Spring 2026 graduation activities is available at artcenter.edu. The College’s full Graduation Ceremony streams live on its homepage for those unable to attend in person.

ArtCenter holds commencement ceremonies at the end of its spring and fall terms.