Registration for the 2025 Festival of Monsters, Oct. 15-18, is now open. Learn more.

We take monsters seriously

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“It is true, we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account we shall be more attached to one another.”

— Mary Shelley, Frankenstein,
or, the Modern Prometheus

Monsters play a role in the representation of some of the most challenging problems facing our world: matters of race and religion, social justice, and environmental threats. The Center for Monster Studies at UC Santa Cruz aims to explore the role of monsters in culture and humanities.

Learn more.

Registration opens for the 2025 Festival of Monsters conference

Registration is now open for the 2025 Festival of Monsters academic conference, Oct. 15-18 in beautiful Santa Cruz, Calif. The conference brings together academics, independent scholars, students, artists and more to explore all sides of monstrosity.  Learn more.

Sharon Kim is the winner of the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Festival of Monsters Poster Contest. Her imaginative monster won out of more than 30 artworks by UC Santa Cruz Students to become the poster image for the 2025 Festival, taking place Oct. 15-18, 2025 in Santa Cruz, Calif. Congratulations to Sharon!

Learn more.

2025 Festival Poster Contest Winners Announced!