Maria Soboleva: Brighter Future Mural Unveil
Maria Soboleva’s *Brighter Future* mural celebrates Terrapin innovation through the story of a budding engineer whose ambitions are realized through perseverance, family support and the University of Maryland community. The mural’s imagery includes McKeldin Library and a red-and-gold ribbon of light connecting Testudo, commencement and the future. It also highlights Mtech’s role in helping researchers and emerging entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into technologies, ventures and lasting impact.
The mural was commissioned through a competitive process organized by undergraduate students in Professor Abigail McEwen’s Fall 2025 Public Art class, with support from xFoundry, the College of Arts & Humanities and the Department of Art History & Archaeology. Contributors specifically recognized by the project include Sid Garg, Abigail King and Rob Cohen. Soboleva, a Russian-American mixed-media artist and educator and a 2023 graduate of UMD’s Studio Art program, explores love, resilience and self-acceptance in her work and has completed 10 commissioned public murals throughout the DMV region.
When: Monday, September 14, 2026
Showtime: 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: Free
Admission: General admission
Venue: Herbert Rabin Technology Advancement Building, Room 1100
Artist: Maria Soboleva
Event type: Mural unveiling
Livestream: No
Festival: The unveiling is part of NextNOW Fest 2026, The Clarice’s multi-day arts festival featuring artists from around the country and the University of Maryland campus. The festival is open to the general public.
Accessibility: Available services include wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large-print programs, assisted-listening devices, adult and child-friendly sensory packs and quiet spaces. ASL interpretation, audio description and captioning are available for select events or by request at least six weeks in advance.
Logistics: The event page provides a “Register for NextNOW Fest” link and an option to add the event to a calendar.