Sacramento State’s annual spring celebration returns with its four-day focus on the artistic achievements that move us, entertain us, and enrich our lives. This year’s Festival of the Arts runs March 18-21, highlighting the best in fine arts, theater, dance, design, music and creative writing.

“The Festival has something for everyone, from an art history lecture to a fully-produced Broadway musical,” says Jeffrey D. Mason, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. Highlights of the four-day event include an all-festival reception from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, March 20, in the University Library Gallery.

The Festival’s centerpiece is “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” the tale of a window washer who discovers a book that sends him on a meteoric rise through the corporate world. The play won the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and introduced such tunes as “I Believe in You,” and “Brotherhood of Man.” “How To Succeed” has an early start this month; 8 p.m., Friday, March 13. Its Festival performances are at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19; at 8 pm, March 20-21; and at 2 pm, March 22. It is staged in the University Theatre in Shasta Hall.

“Capturing History” showcases the photographs of Pulitzer Prize winner David Hume Kennerly. The dramatic exhibit presents news photos that have graced the covers of Time, Newsweek and many other publications, along with Kennerly’s works as official White House photographer. The exhibition opens at noon Friday, March 13, with a lecture by Kennerly, followed by a reception from 5-8 p.m. both in the University Library Gallery.

The sixth annual Art History Symposium, “Location/Dislocation,” will be held from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 21, with a keynote address by Norman Bryson, of UC San Diego. On the following evening, Thursday, 7 pm, in the University Library Gallery, American book Award winner Tim Hernandez reads from Skin Tax, a collection of poetry.

Guest trumpeter Terell Stafford joins the Sacramento State Jazz Ensemble for a performance at 8 p.m., Thursday, March 19. Music offerings continue with the faculty Gala Concert at 8p.m., Friday, March 20. Both concerts are in Capistrano Hall’s Music Recital Hall.

For a complete schedule, visit www.csus.edu/festival. For media assistance, call Sacramento State’s Public Affairs office at (916) 279-6156.