Actress Cynthia Erivo to receive award in Schwarzman Centre

Academy Award nominee and current star of Dracula on the West End, Cynthia Erivo, will join Dr. Stacy L. Smith of the USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Oxford for a special conversation on 5 May 2026.

The event, which will occur in the newly opened Sohmen Concert Hall at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, brings Erivo’s unique perspective on storytelling and entertainment to Oxford for the first time.

Erivo and Dr. Smith will not only discuss the ascendancy of Erivo’s career, but will also announce a new Cynthia Erivo Scholarship for the USC School of Dramatic Arts and Cynthia Erivo Film Bursary for Oxford. Both will provide opportunities for university students to expand their study of drama, theatre, film, or other areas of entertainment.

Supported by Jason and Yvonne Lee, the USC School of Dramatic Arts, and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the awardees will be selected by the beginning of the autumn (Michaelmas) term.

The event is part of the cultural programming in the Schwarzman Centre, a world-class centre for the arts and humanities at Oxford University. The new academic and cultural centre provides a unique mix of exceptional performance venues; research spaces; and academic teaching facilities.

This discussion will be the first stand-alone event in its 500-seat Sohmen Concert Hall following the launch of the public programme on 25 April 2026 which will comprise a day of free events and performances, open to all.

Josie Bamford, Executive Producer, Schwarzman Centre, said: “The Schwarzman Centre aims to be a hub which convenes leading artists and performers, academics, and the public for interesting and wideranging discussions. Cynthia Erivo and Stacy Smith discussing storytelling and entertainment will be a great example of that mission. It is particularly exciting that Oxford students will benefit from interacting with leading artists like Cynthia, and have the chance to apply for this new Film Bursary. This will support young people to engage with and pursue the arts, and receive opportunities in the creative industries themselves, regardless of their background.”

Tickets for In Conversation with Cynthia Erivo are available here.

Photo credit: Mark Seliger