With the new year quickly approaching, it’s time to mark your calendar for the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. Returning Jan. 13 through Feb. 20, 2023, at Walt Disney World Resort, the festival is a global celebration of culinary, visual, and performing arts.
This year’s festival will feature a lineup of new artists to immerse you in beautiful artwork filled with color, expression, and soul. Here’s a sample of some of the fantastic new and returning talent coming to the festival:
Larissa Marantz is an illustrator, cartoonist and educator who strives to create visually alluring images and enjoys teaching
students of various ages how to do the same. Yesenia Moises is an Afro-Latina children’s book illustrator and toy designer who proudly portrays people of diverse backgrounds playing leading roles in fantasy adventures.
The work of Ryan Riller, an animator and illustrator, is featured in Disney Junior’s “Whisker Haven Tales.” Joe Ledbetter is known for his distinctive style in painting and vinyl toy design. He has created a spectacular cast of creatures used to anthropomorphize the human condition.
Visual art will come to life with prints, canvases, and books by Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, the faces behind CreativeSoul
Photography. The husband-and-wife team aims to empower children of color by highlighting their beauty and uniqueness. Beyond snapshots, they create thought-provoking art showcasing kids across the African Diaspora.
More than 100 Disney and visiting artists will participate in the festival, including guest favorites Dylan Bonner, Fenway Fan, Jerrod Maruyama, and Ashley Taylor. Guests can also experience the long-awaited return of House of Blues and Promenade Fine Arts (previously called Wyland Galleries). 
Here is the first look at some of the new Figment-inspired festival merchandise. Expressive, colorful, and featuring a touch of magic, the assortment is perfect for the whole family. My favorite items include the Spirit Jersey, Figment Chalkboard Framed Mug, Figment Munchlings, and Figment CORKCICLE Tumbler. Brought to life by an array of colors, this collection embodies embracing your creative side.
As we shared with you last month, the famous DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series returns, with three shows each evening headlined by Broadway stars performing beloved songs from more than 25 years of award-winning stage productions.
